Perfect Deceit
by Darkworld
Summary: It is a time of change for the Titans. Especially for Raven and Beast Boy. As new feelings grow between them, can the team handle the stress of love, a new recruit, and the threat of Slade’s new ally? BBRae
1. Lan

A/N: Hey, hey! To those of you who've so kindly decided to read, thank you. I really hope you like my work. And I really hope you leave a review, good or bad, I don't care, just leave one, damn it!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans in any way.

Back uncomfortably rigid, Slade stood stock-still, his single eye sweeping over the dozens of monitors before him. Each individual screen relaying a different channel, in their combined glow, Slade's ominously dark personal chambers were covered by a multiple of flickering, ghostly shadows. Adding to the shady mystique that surrounded the villainous crime-lord.

"...and in a startling turn of events, the Teen Titans..."

"...saved from an burning apartment by the Teen Titans..."

"...bank robbery prevented by the Teen Titans..."

The face underneath Slade's cold mask curled into an annoyed sneer. The Teen Titans...crime's _bane_. Rape, murder...suffering, it had all become...so scarce. Wherever there was trouble, the damnable team of children weren't far behind. Always ready to squander the beginnings of crime. It was to say the least...irritating.

Slade's single visible eye narrowed to a miniscule slit, his mind leaving the task before him to wander to times long past. Perhaps what irked Slade more than anything else was the complete infallibility of the Teen Titans. Against impossible odds, against all reason, against all logic, they emerged victorious. They were like weeds, no matter how hard he tried, they kept coming back, again, and again, and again in a maddening cycle. Always ending with his failure.

Plasmus, the Hive, even Terra hadn't been enough to end the thorn in Slade's side. What was it that kept them alive? It was like some imperceptible force, always there, ensuring the Titans' eventual success. With a small, surprisingly human sigh, Slade's broad shoulders slumped slightly, would he ever beat them?

The barely audible shift of foot against floor sent alerted Slade of a new presence in the room. Whipping around, he assumed a fighting stance, keen eyes finding the faint shape hidden in the shadows.

"Who's there?"

"Me," was the reply, the feminine voice laced with amusement.

Slade was...impressed, someone had discovered his safe-house. And from the looks of it...she wasn't a Titan. Indeed, the shadowed outline of a slender female form bore little resemblance to any of the five infuriating do-gooders.

"How did you find me?" He said, his calm tone masking the surprise underneath.

The reply was equally as smooth, her voce deceptively calming.

"I have my ways, Slade. I have my ways."

Slade relaxed, but only slightly. From what he could see, this newcomer bore no weapons, and her easy stance showed no hostility.

"I've been searching for you Slade, longer than you know." He didn't like the idea of that, it was...unsettling, to find himself, the predator, made prey.

The woman stepped forward into the sickly light of Slade's TV screens, the intruder continued to surprise Slade, she wore a mask. But it was one very different from his own, carved of wood, her mask was sculpted to resemble a human face. Painted a dirty grey, the mouth was stretched wide in a eerie grin, the eye holes arched slits. Slade was impressed by the detail, even the most minor of wrinkles had not been forgotten.

The young woman's body was of perfect build, her alluring form curving in the most excitable of ways. Yet, for all her delicate, slender features, Slade could sense...a certain danger that surrounded her. A quiet strength, just bubbling under her deceiving exterior. She had found his base of operations, infiltrated the maximum security construct, and now, she stood before Slade, somehow managing to bypass the door and the agents guarding it, that annoyed Slade. That annoyed Slade very much.

"And why, pray tell, have you been searching for me?" Slade asked, his single eye boring into the black eye holes of his dangerous new acquaintance.

"I see in in you Slade, power, I see control," there was a hunger in her voice now, a passion, "I see an ally."

"An ally?" Slade laughed, a harsh, cold laugh. "I have an army of minions under my command, little girl. Hoards of machines, unquestioning, unthinking slaves. The perfect enforcers of my will. What need have I for an ally?"

"Unquestioning, unthinking," the masked woman echoed, "with such restricted slaves, your options are...limited. The Titans-their strength lies in innovation, their victories rely on the flexibility their unique abilities provide. Something that far outclasses the blunt, repetitive assaults of your inferior creations." The woman tossed Slade a folder, who caught it with a deft hand.

"The defeat of the Titans can be achieved in a much more...efficient manner," the woman stated, watching as Slade read through the papers inside, "it's already begun, all I need are the resources I know you can provide, and together we end a...mutual annoyance."

Slade had finished reading, but his eye stayed locked on the papers in his hand as he thought hard. This was ludicrous, this "plan" would never work, it depended on too many factors, too many things had to go right, and they all had to do it in a very precise way. And yet...

While he couldn't see the face behind her mask, Slade could feel a sense of calm emanating from her being, an absolute confidence.

He sighed inwardly, he knew he was going to regret this.

"What should I call my new ally?" He questioned, approaching his new partner to hand back the insane plan.

"Marionette."

The automatic doors slid back, allowing an irritable Raven to step out into the empty parking lot, her cloak billowing in the cool night air. Floating behind her was a plastic bag, stretched thin as it sagged with a generous amount of sweets and other unhealthy goods. It was movie night at the Tower, and as usual, there had been an argument as to who would go to the grocery store to buy the unnecessary and unhealthy snacks that Raven's companions so adored. She had at long last volunteered, knowing she'd never get the peace she needed if their bickering continued.

Brushing a strand of violet hair behind her ear, Raven looked out on the city, a small smile tugging at her lips. The city seemed strangely serene, without a criminal to wreak havoc, the day had passed mercifully uneventful, giving Raven much needed time to simply curl up with one of the numerous books on her various shelves.

In fact, the unusually peaceful day had given everyone a chance to relax. A day to kick back at the Tower was very welcome. And the team had taken advantage of it. Cyborg had whittled the hours away tuning up the T-Car, Beast Boy continued to rot his brain with TV, Robin had spent a good part of the day in the gym, and Starfire...was Starfire.

Pulling her hood over her face, Raven set off at a brisk walk. While flying was the easier option, it felt good to stretch her legs, and Raven had been inconvenienced by this task, making her companions wait was a form of payback she deemed suitable. Passing the odd car or two that still inhabited the massive parking lot, Raven was almost onto the sidewalk when behind her, she heard a soft giggle.

Turning her head, Raven spotted a good ways to her left the shape of a man. The chuckling form illuminated by the streetlight that hung directly above, immersing him in a pool of light. Though far off, Raven thought the man looked rather shabby. His raggedy figure shaking as he continued to laugh, she could sense his mind, hazy and unclear. It was obvious the man had been mentally impaired, Raven had felt this same sensation pulsing from the dives around the city, this was the mind of a drunk.

Sighing, Raven approached the man. The prospect of a good book pushed from her mind as a new and more annoying task prevented itself.

"Sir?" She began, keeping her voice as friendly as the circumstance would allow.

The giggling man seemed to respond to Raven's voice. Still laughing, the drunk tilted his head limply in Raven's direction, glazed eyes staring up at her.

"Mmm?" He muttered through numb lips. "Wh...wha' ish it?"

"I need to get you home," Raven said, crouching down to look the slumped over drunkard in the eye, "do you remember wh-"

Raven stopped herself, spotting the plastic bag at the man's side. Peering inside, she gaped in awe, empty glass bottles reflected the dull yellow light that came from the droning streetlight overhead. A strong smell of liquor wafted up from the bag, the overpowering stench causing Raven to recoil.

"Wait...you _drank_ all this?"

The strange man nodded, looking rather pleased with himself. His dirty brown hair hung in his face, wet with what, Raven couldn't say. It hadn't rained in weeks.

"Yup! Yup! I drinksh alls of itsh!" He mumbled gleefully. Raven was surprised he could even talk at all.

She groaned, rubbing her temples with long, pale fingers this was going to be harder than she thought.

"Do you remember where you live?"

This was of course, a very long shot.

"Home?" He said. Eyebrows askew in puzzlement. As if the word were in some sort of strange and foreign dialect. "Live?"

"Ok, maybe that's a bit too hard," Raven said. Irritation marring her normally expressionless face. "Name? Phone number?"

"Name..." the drunk said. "Uh...name...uh..." he scratched at his stubbly chin, eyes rolling lazily towards the sky. A slight flame of hope was kindled for Raven. It was the expression of a man trying to recall something.

"Lan!" He said brightly.

Raven blinked, echoing the strange name, "Lan?"

"Lan Caihe!"

Well, it was a start. Grasping her new acquaintance by the arm, Raven stood, hoisting Lan up with her. Digging into her cloak, Raven produced her communicator. The Tower's computer had a list of all known residents in the city, all she had to do was give a name, and Cyborg could find her an address. Punching in her personal password, her communicator gave a series of beeps before attempting to make contact with the Tower and its residents.

She didn't have to wait long.

Instantly, the tiny screen on Raven's handheld device flickered to life, Robin's masked face coming into view.

"Raven? Where are you?"

"Er..." the sorceress mumbled, "I um...came across this drunk," as proof, Raven turned her communicator towards Lan, who waved cheerily.

"I don't suppose you'd have anything on a Lan Caihe?" Raven asked, stumbling over the drunk's odd name.

Robin sighed, walking off screen, "hang on, I'll get Cyborg."

There was several moments of silence, then Cyborg slid on screen. His face the image of pure indignation.

"Rae? What's keeping you?"

"I'll explain later, just run a search for a Lan Caihe, will you?"

"Lan Caihe? How's that last part even spelled?"

"Dunno," Raven said sheepishly.

"Alright, just Lan then," there was final few taps, and then a moments silence as the Tower's computer ran a search for the name "Lan".

"Must be from outta town, Rae," Cyborg said. Looking slightly disgruntled at his own creation's failure. "The computer's not gettin' anything for 'Lan'. Just dump him with the cops will you? BB's gettin' impatient."

Raven could faintly hear the green changeling ranting, "Dude, where is she? We can't watch Death Ninjas Seventeen without pop and chips!"

"Or the mustard!" Starfire added.

"Er..."

Raven closed the communicator with a snap. The police station wasn't too far off, a quick fly and she'd be there in no time. She'd spent far too much time in this parking lot, and was more eager than ever to go back to her book.

Raven turned back to Lan, "Alright, lets get y-"

He was gone.

Raven heard yet again another giggle, but...this one sounded like it was coming from...

Oh no.

Whipping about, Raven stared, horrorstruck at the scene before her. Lan stood in the street, laughing. Apparently oblivious to the blaring headlights of the oncoming truck. Panicking, Raven attempted to hastily conjure a protective barrier for the drunken lout, but to no avail, the car already too close. Mere feet from him, the same expression of ignorant amusement on his face, Lan held out his arm.

The vehicle came to an abrupt, unpleasant stop.

With an earsplitting crunch, the truck's entire front crumpled as it rammed against Lan's hand. The windshield shattered, sending bits and pieces of glass whipping past Lan, who looked highly amused, as if stopping a several ton contraption with a single hand was a simple matter.

Her wide eyes fixed on the sight, Raven produced her communicator once more.

"Robin?" She said as she made contact with her comrade. "We've got a problem."

A/N: Well? What'd you think? Leave a review and let me know.


	2. Proposition

A/N: w00t! Reviews! A big thanks to everyone who took time to give their thoughts on my story. You have no idea how great that makes me feel. I checked my stats, and I've got a total of 101 hits to my story so far. Now if only you'd review. It doesn't take long, and as a writer, I'll take any advice I can get. On another note, I've been put on an alert list and a favorite list, which is great. That reminds me, if you'd be so kind, recommend my story to any others you know here at the TT fanfic community. I could always use more reviews!

Confuzzle333: Glad to hear you like my stuff. I hope you keep leaving me reviews.

Regrem Erutaerc: Ooh, your review was long. That's good, that's very good. Will I involve the eight emotions? I might, I might not, it all depends. The BBRae relationship is going to be a...bit more gradual than the conventional works, like any relationship, it takes time. Hair, eh? Well, that's just the thing, as far as Slade knows, Marionette might not even _have_ hair. That's an entire head mask she's sporting, top to bottom, front to back.. So whatever's there is concealed. Which is how I wanted to convey Marionette, as a mystery. The same goes for her eyes. It'll all come in due time, just not yet. I'm glad you noticed that I was trying to portray Slade as human. Hope to see more of you on my review list.

TDG3RD: Awesome, another reviewer, hope you leave more. You'll find out what Slade and Marionette are plotting, just not yet. And Lan will be explained, all in good time.

Inuyasha's Apprentice: Kick _ass. _I didn't expect a review from you. Glad you're liking the story and my original characters so far. They'll be getting better over the story as you learn more about them as individuals (I hope).

lol61188: Of course.

"He is...very odd." Starfire commented. The Tamaran's strength allowing her to lower Lan's still form onto the living room couch with relative ease. Slipping her hands out from under his back, Starfire stepped back, observing with her companions the curious oddity that lay unconscious before them.

"He's just a drunk, so what?" Beast Boy said, looking down at Lan with an expression of nonchalance.

"Not that BB, the truck!" Cyborg said, crumpling his fingers in imitation of the vehicle's front end. Which the team had seen after Raven's second call.

"Oh yeah."

"It's strange, why haven't we found him sooner?" Robin mused, rubbing his chin with a gloved hand. "It doesn't look like this is his first time drinking, he might've gotten out of hand before."

"Maybe he's from outta town," Cyborg said. Helping himself to the goodies Raven had brought home.

"Totaled a truck..." Robin muttered to no one in particular.

"How old is he?" Beast Boy said through a mouthful of chocolate. Pointing a finger at Lan's face. It was difficult to distinguish his age, while Lan's body was that of a adolescent youth, the years seemed to lie heavier on his face. Coarse stubble lined his sharp, angular features, and underneath his closed eyes were unnaturally dark circles. Now that he had lost consciousness, Lan looked no longer joyful in his drunken stupor. Rather, he looked...pitiful, miserable for lack of a better word.

"He will need time to rest before he reveals to us the information," Starfire said. Which was very true, Lan was out cold, his night of binge drinking ensured that. The Titans wouldn't get answers until the morning, perhaps not even then.

"..and that's not all! Call now and we'll add a _second_ Fix 'Em Wrench! That's a fifty dollar value for only twenty! Order yours today!"

Beast Boy didn't feel like watching this.

Beast Boy didn't feel like doing anything. He sat in the darkness, staring blankly at the television with vacant eyes. He didn't know what this commercial was advertising, nor did he care. It had not been Beast Boy's intent to watch television, the tv was only on due to his automatic instinct to press the power on the remote. Beast Boy's mind was not focused on the revolutionary Fix 'Em Wrench kit. His mentality was on something the green changeling rarely used, imagination.

More accurately a...fantasy. A crude one at that. Beast Boy had found himself running such scenarios through his mind more and more often over the months. He imagined women, he dreamed of base pleasures, indecent lusts. Whittling the time away sculpting, crafting in his mind's eye the perfect women.

And sometimes...he'd imagine her.

It wasn't often. Beast Boy made sure of that.

But sometimes, he'd do so. When the nameless figments began to blur together, he longed for something more distinct. So guiltily, he thought of her. Hair, face, eyes...they were all so desirable. Perhaps that's what shamed Beast Boy, for him, that was all that he desired from her. Even if her frosty personality did leave something to be desired, it didn't feel right.

But he did it anyway.

_My fingers running down her back. _

Beast Boy shuddered as he looked down at his green fingers, wondering what it must feel like to run his digits down that skin.

_It must be soft, but cold. Like...snow. _

Being Beast Boy, his fantasies weren't exactly the most artful.

_I'm running my hand through her hair, it's thin, like fine silk. And her body, it's slender, but powerful. My hand's going further down, making a trail from her belly down to her- _

"Beast Boy?"

Jolting, the Titan in question turned sharply in his seat. Inhaling sharply at the sight of Raven, her ghostly pale features jutting sharply from the darkness.

"What're you still doing up?" she questioned, giving him a questioning look.

Mentally reeling, Beast Boy managed to gather enough of his wits to form a coherent response.

"Watching TV," he responded.

"Well you shouldn't be. That trash rots your brain," Raven said passively. Turning away to walk briskly towards the kitchen section of the room.

"If you have any brains left, that is."

Beast Boy breathed a sigh of relief at the insult. Same old Raven.

"You really should be sleeping," she said over the noise of water splashing into the kettle. "It's three in the morning."

"Uh-huh," Beast Boy grunted. He wasn't paying attention to a word Raven was saying, too distracted by something much more important.

Raven wasn't wearing a cloak.

Beast Boy had a painfully clear view of Raven's shapely form. The skin tight leotard she wore did little to conceal the curves he hungrily took in with longing eyes.

_Why doesn't she like me? _

Beast Boy didn't want affection from Raven, he didn't want an intimate relationship. What the green changeling wanted the most from the dark sorceress was a friendship. He'd been with the team for as longer than he cared to remember, and yet...he knew so little about Raven.

Cyborg, Starfire, Robin, she had opened up to each of them at least once.

_But not me. She doesn't trust me. _

It was a bit depressing, to know that over the years of blood, sweat, and tears...the bond between Raven and himself was practically non-existent. But with that sadness, there was an anger. Somewhere inside, Beast Boy felt a slight resentment for Raven. Try as he might, Beast Boy's best intentions were taken by Raven as annoyances. Optimistic as he was, there was only so much he could take before slowly, he began to feel a certain bitterness towards Raven's frosty disposition.

_Why **doesn't** she like me? I've never done anything to her. _

As Raven took the now whistling kettle from the stove, Beast Boy quickly averted his eyes as she turned to face him.

_Maybe it's my fault. Maybe I haven't tried to get to know her..._

"So um...what're you doing?"

Raven gave him an irritated look as she tossed a hand full of tealeaves into the steaming water.

"What's it look like? I'm brewing tea."

Beast Boy mentally smacked himself

_Stupid! _

"Oh! I..I didn't mean like...right now. I meant what were...you um..." the Titan's stammers was silenced by a cold glare from Raven. Who looked, as always, in no mood to converse with this certain teammate.

"Go to bed, Beast Boy," Raven said. Whisking past with kettle and mug in hand.

"You could use it," she added before the door slid shut.

Sighing, Beast Boy turned back to the television.

_I think I just made things worse._

His legs dangling over the roof's edge, Robin looked out on the city, a content sigh escaping his lips.

This was the life.

From his viewpoint, the city was nothing but hundreds of thousands tiny points of light. From cars to neon signs, the dazzling sight was a sign that Jump City was still awake, still alive. It was what Robin lived for, the same feeling of total satisfaction that welled inside him as he looked out on what might not be if not for himself and his team.

"You're up late," came a cold drawl from behind.

Robin grinned, watching from the corner of his eye as Raven sat next to him.

He pointed towards the city, "I can sleep later, this only comes once a night you know."

"A truly rare occurrence," Raven replied sarcastically. Sipping at the steaming mug of tea in her hands. The young teen still managed to look somewhat mysterious. Even in her pinstriped pajamas.

"Why the restlessness?" Robin inquired. "You're usually...meditating at this time of night."

"...sometimes things can be a bit too at peace," Raven admitted grudgingly. "I come out here every once in a while. It's nice to look at the stars."

The Boy Wonder looked up at the dark night sky. The stars invisible behind a thick cloud coverage.

"Pretty," he remarked.

"...shut up."

The next few moments were spent in silence. The salty air occasionally whistling past in a soft breeze.

"You're not really considering it, are you?" Raven asked hesitantly. Shooting Robin a curious look.

The teen in question allowed himself a small smile. Raven had always been good at reading people. It was one of her many unusual traits.

"You were awfully quiet. I'm guessing you object?"

"Do you have to ask?"

"Not really."

Raven sighed, "I just don't think we need another Titan. We're doing well enough on our own. Besides, he could be a liability. He could be just another useless mouth to feed."

"Our he could be a valued member of the team," Robin argued. "We won't know until we try."

"He's a drunk. A bumbling fool, this could be an addiction. We don't need someone like that on the team."

"But we don't know that for sure."

"Maybe he's a common crimi-"

"This isn't about Lan anymore, is it?" Robin said a bit coldly. The frost in his voice cutting Raven into silence.

Shutting her mouth, she looked away from Robin. Staring down at the shore below. She could still see her face, those cold blue eyes glinting with cruel laughter.

"It...I just don't want to see anyone hurt."

"But Lan isn't Terra. And it isn't fair to judge him."

But Robin understood how Raven felt. There were memories, bad memories concerning Terra's harsh and sudden betrayal. Only second to Beast Boy, the defect of Slade's former apprentice had been hardest on her. Raven had confided in Robin on more than one occasion about the crushing blow Terra had struck mentally. The words still ringing in her head. But...Robin suspected that there was more too it. He knew Raven cared for her fellows more than she let on. And at the few, accidental, awkward mentions of Terra, Robin found Raven's eyes on Beast Boy. Filled with an emotion rare for the sorceress: pity.

Faking a yawn, Robin stood, "I think I'll go to bed. And we'll see what we see about Lan."

"Alright, alright," Raven muttered, admitting defeat. "But I'm warning you, he's a screw up."

"Just wait and see."

Voices.

The muffled noise of hushed whisperings and the dull, painful throb of a hangover brought Lan slowly back to wakefulness. His headache becoming more and more vivid as the drowse of sleep began to leave him.

"Dude, when is he gonna wake up? It's like...been forever!" Came a male's voice, immature and high-pitched.

"More like two hours, Beast Boy," came a second voice. This male's tone suggested a calm, collected demeanor.

A third, deep-voiced male spoke. "And with the way he was boozin' I'm not sure he's _gonna_ wake up. Well...not today at least."

"Maybe he's _dead_," dark and brooding, this voice was strangely familiar.

"Oh, do not say that, friend Raven! It is not nice!" Came a second female voice, this one lighter than the one before it.

"I was kidding," Raven muttered half-heartedly. "Besides, I know he isn't dead. I can feel him, he's awake."

"Duuuude," Lan felt something poke his side. "Up! Get up!"

"Meh..." grumblingly incoherently, Lan forced heavy eyelids open. The light of day blinding eyes still adjusting from hours spent in darkness. "What's...wha...where am I?"

"Titans Tower," came the level-headed voice.

His eyes adapting to the light, Lan found his sight returning to their usual sharpness. The five blurry forms hovering above him focusing into faces peering inquisitively down at him.

Five very, very, odd faces.

He recognized them.

"Woah...you're...shit, you're the _Titans_," Lan muttered. Sitting up to get a better view of the famous group.

"Noticing the obvious, you picked a real winner," Raven muttered dryly to Robin. Her features vanishing behind the shadow of her hood as she pulled it over her head.

"Let me explain," Robin said, noticing Lan's puzzled expression.

Robin related to Lan the events of the night before.

"Oh...shit," the drunk muttered. Running his hand through a mess of tangled hair. "So what...I'm in trouble or somethin'?"

"Well...not exactly."

Robin exchanged looks with his teammates. All who looked somewhat uncertain of their leader's bold decision.

"We have a proposition for you.

A/N: Hm...a slow chapter here. Sorry, but I decided to spend this chapter focusing on character development. So now you (and I) both know where the Titans stand with each other and their new acquaintance. Reviews are certainly welcome. Until next time.


	3. Jinx's Bad Luck

A/N: Wow...I've gotten 282 hits to Perfect Deceit. Not bad, not bad at all. I just wish you'd all review. Can you just see that? 282 reviews? Drool

Regrem Erutaerc: Hi again. Hmm...you've got a point with Raven there. I was trying to convey Raven's prejudice towards Lan due to Terra's betrayal. But hey, I might have overdone it.

Darkwriter11: I'm glad you think so. Hope to see more of you on the review list.

lol61188: yey to you too.

Beeny: Grins I was hoping someone would mention that. I'm pretty happy with the way my BB scene turned out as well.

Inuyasha's Apprentice: BB and Rae are going to have a _lot _problems, just wait and see. Glad to hear you think I've improved since Fatal Mistakes as well, and thanks for the advice, it's nice to know you care enough about the story to try and improve it.

"This is a joke, right? You're joking."

Lan gaped at Robin with utter disbelief. The realization of his offer finally sinking in.

Robin shook his head. "I'm not kidding. You could be a valuable addition to the team."

"_Could_," Raven muttered under her breath.

"Wow..." Lan said quietly. "Just...I mean..._wow_."

Lan knew Robin wasn't fooling. There was an air of seriousness, an expression of professionalism that he could feel even through the Boy Wonder's mask.

"Look, I appreciate the offer but I mean...I wouldn't be much use."

Robin cocked an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Lan nodded, "I'm not too quick on my feet, y'know? Not much of a figh-"

"We can train you," Robin interrupted.

"I...no, seriously, this is cool and all, but no. The hero gig isn't really my thing."

Robin frowned, "you're sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure," Lan stood, rubbing at his temples irritably, "look, I've got a killer hangover, so I'm just gonna g-"

"We're government funded, we get paychecks.'

Lan immediately set himself back down.

"_Paid_, you say?"

Quietly observing behind the shadow of her hood, Raven frowned. It irked her that Lan's sudden interest had been induced by the fringe benefits becoming a Titan had to offer. Greed was, in her opinion, something to be frowned upon, especially if such a materialistic state of mind was that of a potential Titan's.

But...perhaps he wouldn't join. Perhaps he would refuse.

Lan grinned, looking down at his ripped, tattered clothes. "Can I have a costume?"

Robin beamed at his new teammate, "Well, before that, there's something you need to do."

"Y'know, I'm not so sure about this," Lan cast a worried glance towards Robin, who stood with the others to the side, his hands working rapidly at the control podium that jutted unnaturally from the island of Titan's Tower. The technology making an odd sight in contrast to the nature around them.

"Don't you think I should have some...I dunno, training before all this? It seems a bit sudden."

It wasn't surprising. Lan's first official day as a Titan had been spent touring his new home. Guided by his teammates, he'd been shown well, just about everything. Cyborg had persistently insisted that Lan see the T-Car, which he had to admit, had been very impressive. In fact, the entire construct was itself incredible. Lan was having trouble remembering all the rooms he'd been shown, bathrooms in particular.

And now, Lan found himself shivering in the chill Fall air, preparing himself for some unknown threat.

"This is just going to be a gauge of your capabilities," Robin said casually.

"But you don't even know what I can do..." Lan muttered uncertainly.

"Exactly, I'll be using this to find out."

"Couldn't you just ask?"

Robin gave Lan a reassuring smile as he punched in his last few commands, his hand stopping to hover over the enter key.

"Don't sweat it, you'll be fine. Ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

Robin activated the sequence.

For a moment, nothing happened. And a very puzzled Lan gave a short, uneasy laugh, hoping desperately that there was some sort of malfunction.

Then, the ground gave a very unpleasant shake.

The ground before him seemed to split, the sand shifting to create a massive gap, slowly, something began to rise from the great, black chasm. Elevated by a slowly rising lift. Lan took an unconscious step back, his eyes fixed on the empty space, his imagination running vivid images through his head.

Something evil was rising from the ground. A beast, too dangerous for conventional means, locked away in some dungeon built beneath the earth. Only to be released to decimate, to feast on those who would face it. The sand underneath Lan's feet was no longer ordinary ground, it was a graveyard, the corpses of those who had come before him, and failed. Just as he undoubtedly would as well.

Whatever horrid creations his own mind could conceive, what rose from the gap in the sand was something Lan could never have imagined.

A lump.

The lift reaching its stopping point, Lan found, rather than the horror that he had envisioned, a large, oval shaped lump of metal sitting harmlessly before him. Apparently, Lan's first trial would be to defeat an oversized chrome egg.

"Er...Robin? What is-"

"Begin."

Complying with Robin's command, the oval lump sprang to life. Dozens of thin, cylindrical coils snapping out from the seemingly harmless construct. The metallic lengths reared up, swaying back and forth, reminding Lan horribly of snakes poised to strike.

To make matters worse, the end of each was crowned with three claws, the razor sharp points clacking together eagerly, anxious to pierce the target below. Without hesitation, the arms attacked, moving in perfect unison to speed towards the target below.

Then, Lan did something most unexpected.

He closed his eyes.

_I can feel it._

As familiar as it was, the power that coursed through his veins was pure bliss. As the untapped energy ran through his skinny frame, the world around Lan seemed to sharpen. The faint smell of salt on the air turned into an overwhelming scent that filled his every breath. He could hear the shift of sand and sea, the breath of his comrades, even the pounding of his heart was audible.

But most importantly, he could see.

He could see the great, metal beast through his closed eyes, could sense the rapid descent of its many arms, speeding towards him at an alarming rate.

And for some reason only he could fathom, the likely death he faced seemed...a non-existent threat. The nervous doubt that had gripped him recessed, giving way to a limitless confidence, a sensation of indestructibility.

Lan arched his lithe form gracefully as he leapt forward, vaulting off his hand to execute an effective flip, barely avoiding the mass of arms that buried themselves into the ground where he had stood less than a second before.

Bolting forward, Lan made a dash for the control center, the energy coursing through him doubling his speed, turning his sprint into a breakneck charge.

Realizing its failure, the metal coils ripped themselves from the ground, turning to pursue Lan.

But despite their best efforts, they could not hit their target. Lan's agile dodges rendered their continued onslaughts useless, bending and twisting his incredibly flexible body to ensure that the lethal claws missed by mere inches with each attempt.

Lan brought his arm back, his fingers curling into a tight fist.

_This better fuckin' work. _

Throwing the whole of his weight into the swing, Lan brought his fist crashing through the control center, grimacing at the feel of sparks burning into his hand.

Their source cut off, the arms failed, falling limply to thud dully into the sand.

"How'd I do?" Lan called through labored breath, the rush of battle quickly being replaced with exhaustion.

"Two minutes, nineteen seconds," Robin replied, "that's...damn, that's not half-bad."

Cyborg gave a low whistle, "Damn, he can _move_."

"Yeah..." Raven said with a frown, "he can."

Something was wrong, she could feel something odd...the slightest ripple of energy emanating from Lan. Brow furrowed, Raven's sharp eyes followed his movements intently, watching as he wrenched his arm free. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something was definitely out of place.

And Raven intended to find out.

Running a hand through her vibrant pink hair, Jinx uttered a low sigh. The young hex caster's gray skin tinted ghostly white as she peered inside the refrigerator. The built-in light illuminating nothing but shelf upon empty shelf. Save the odd half drunk soda, there wasn't anything to eat.

Shutting the fridge moodily, Jinx tried vainly to ignore the increasingly violent rumblings of her stomach. Save the growl of her belly, Jinx was alone in the total silence of the hideout she and her companions had built together in the deep woods. It wasn't much, but it was home, away from the prying eyes of the law where they could live in relative peace.

Things hadn't been going well lately.

Hive Academy's top trio had been loosing reputation. Their elite status diminishing with each defeat suffered at the hands of the Titans.

Leaning against the sill, Jinx peered up at the night sky through the grimy window. A dull moon shining just barely through a thick blanket of cloud.

With the Hive no longer coddling them. The graduates had been forced to fend for themselves. They had become in a sense...mercenaries. And very profitable ones that that. Jobs had come pouring by the hundreds. But with each failure, the jobs were coming less and less.

And now, they had stopped coming all together.

Jinx ran through her head the numerous heroes of the world. And how each and every one enjoyed, in one way or another, success. And save a small few, those who used their powers to take a less...favored course were ultimately failures.

It was something she had pondered for a long while now.

Leaning against the sill, Jinx gazed up at the night sky, the dull moon shining feebly through the grime covered window.

"Maybe I'm playing for the wrong team," she mused quietly.

"That's a dangerous state of mind," came a soft voice from behind. Jinx felt her blood run cold, she'd know that voice anywhere.

"Oh! S-sir!" turning, Jinx straightened her relaxed stance, standing at attention to stare up in surprise at the imposing figure that had stepped into the room.

Slade.

"Hello, Jinx," the masked villain's voice sent shivers down the young girl's back. That silky tone was worse than Brother Blood's outraged screams. Something difficult to top. But for the moment, Slade seemed to be in a civil mood, which Jinx was grateful for. She had seen Slade in one of his bad tempers before, she was not eager to see the anger that simmered underneath his cold exterior again.

_Why is he here? If he wanted something done he would've summoned us. _

For a single, agonizingly long moment, Jinx stood in uncomfortable silence, knowing better than to speak out of turn. Slade seemed to have forgotten her presence, his eye moving slowly in its socket, taking in the grungy shack Jinx called her hideout. The young sorceress could almost feel the disappointment radiating from him.

Finally, Slade's eye slid back to focus on Jinx.

"I had heard rumors of your failing, but I did not expect this," Slade said, a barely detectable note of amusement in his silken tone.

"We...have not been as successful as we had hoped, sir," Jinx responded quietly. "Our talents have become...undesirable."

Slade strode forward, bringing himself uncomfortably close to Jinx.

"Not to those who can see true value." Jinx was taken aback, had Slade just _complimented _her squad? "You are useful to me once more."

Despite her best efforts, Jinx could not quell the burning excitement that bubbled in her gut. A job, from Slade no less.

"What would you have us do?" Jinx asked, barely able to contain the squeal of glee that was threatening to burst out.

Slade chuckled, a dry, humorless noise that suggested little mirth whatsoever.

"No, no, I have no use for _you_ specifically. In fact-"

"You've become a liability," a second voice hissed maliciously.

Pain racked Jinx's body as she was dealt a heavy blow from behind, the blunt force slamming into the back of her skull. Knees buckling, she collapsed, her vision blurring in and out of focus.

"Is the other taken care of?" To Jinx, Slade's voice sounded distant, his calm tone distorted.

"The brute?" the female voice barely registered in Jinx's failing mind. "He's been dealt with."

"And Gizmo? I trust you didn't damage our package?"

"Incapacitated, nothing else."

As darkness slowly took her, Slade's voice rung in her ears.

"Good, then the next phase begins."

A/N: w00t, I finally worked Jinx into the story, I'm real happy about that. Hope you liked this chapter.


	4. Revelations

A/N: Alright, things were kinda slow last chapter. I'm hoping to get things moving a bit faster this time around.

darkwriter11: Hee, sucks for Jinx, don't it? I'm glad you approve of Lan, I was hoping someone would give their opinion.

Deadrose332: Glad you like it.

Firenze2000: Update? Yes. Soon? Heh, I can't make any promises.

Regrem Erutaerc: Ha, evil, I like the sound of that. A CY/Jinx supporter? Huh...actually, now that you mention it, I never really thought about it.

* * *

"Ooh..." 

Consciousness slowly returning, Jinx forced her unwilling eyes open, the back of her skull giving a painful throb as she put her dazed mind to the task of controlling her swimming vision. Climbing to her feet, Jinx slumped against the wall, clutching at her aching head.

_What happened? _

Her brain temporarily dulled, Jinx closed her eyes, struggling to recollect the events that refused to reveal themselves.

_There was a man...a man with a mask...who do- Slade...yes, Slade. And a woman I think, or...I thought I heard one. She said something about...about..._

Jinx gasped sharply, an icy sensation of dread gripping her.

_Mammoth._

Scrambling for the hall, Jinx ran as fast as her trembling legs could carry her, leaning against the wall for support as she stumbled towards her partner's bedroom. Reaching the closed door, Jinx hammered at the rotting wood frantically.

"Mammoth?" She called hoarsely, panic welling up in her chest at the ominous silence that answered her.

Grabbing the handle, Jinx made to wrench to door open when...she stopped.

Did she really want to see what lay beyond the door? Was she ready to see the grim, awful truth?

Her knuckles whitening as she gripped hard onto the door knob, Jinx gave it a twist. Ready or not, Mammoth had been her partner from the beginning, through the blood, sweat, and tears, he'd always been there, the end would be no different.

Jinx opened the door.

Mammoth's great body lay on the floor, his clothing stained with dark spots of blood that flowed from the long, deep gash cut into his neck. Apart from the shattered window, the room looked mostly undisturbed. No upturned tables, no smashed walls, no broken floor, Mammoth hadn't even put up a fight.

Jinx forced herself to stand over her fallen comrade, staring down at his still form with a look of dumb shock. She had seen death before...but...this was different. Mammoth had been a comrade, a friend, and the horrifying reality that lay dead at her feet, was...something beyond comprehension.

"Jinx..."

Barely audible, the words escaped Mammoth's lips in a piteous moan, his pale eyes opening to look up at his stunned friend.

"Hey," he grunted, his broad, rough face crinkling into a forced smile.

Kneeling down, Jinx steadied her voice as best as she could.

"Hi," she whispered.

"You...you alright?" Jinx winced, Mammoth's voice sounded pained, as if speech itself was a toll on his failing body.

"A bump on the head," Jinx gingerly touched the bloody lump on the back of her skull, "but I'll be fine."

"...g-good," Mammoth sounded immensely relieved, his smile turned slightly genuine. "What...about Gizmo? He...al-alright?"

"Slade took him."

"Slade..." Mammoth's face contorted into an angry sneer, "he's got a...partner now...that crazy...bitch...she - she cut...me...up. Told...me...everything w-while...she...did it to."

"Yeah...we met," Jinx muttered, reaching to poke gently at her bruise once more.

Reaching up, Mammoth wrapped his enormous hand around Jinx's.

"Listen Jinx...I...I need to tell you something," Mammoth's voice was steadier now, his words growing in strength. "I saw...your journal."

Jinx felt her blood run cold, goose-bumps rising along her gray flesh.

"A-all of it?"

"Yeah...every page."

It was in that book that Jinx had confided her innermost secrets. Her fears and doubts, they filled that book, from the pettiest insecurities to something much more serious, something no one should have seen, not without her consent.

"Were...were you really...going...to leave?" Mammoth's voice sunk to its former weakness, perhaps even fainter than before. "Were you going...going to...switch...sides?"

"I..." but that was something Jinx could not answer, she herself was unsure. "I don't know."

Mammoth tightened his grip on Jinx's hand slightly, "Want you...to...know...no matter what...you do..."

Mammoth's voice was nearly gone now, his last few words coming in a raspy hiss.

"...you're my friend," death taking her friend, Jinx watched as Mammoth's head slumped back, his glazed eyes staring blankly into space.

Choking back a sob, Jinx stood. Grabbing the sheets from his massive bed, she spread them over Mammoth's corpse, her tears mixing with the blood that soaked through.

"I'll miss you." And with that, Jinx turned, walking briskly away from the grim scene.

It was time for a change.

* * *

Lan couldn't sleep. 

The excitement of having just become a Titan made sure of that. With a restless moan, Lan sat up, flicking the light switch.

His new room was surprisingly well furnished, filled with whatever his teammates had been generous enough to give. A computer from Cyborg hummed quietly in the far corner, sitting atop a desk that had been donated by Robin. Starfire had given him a chair, an old clock from Beast Boy, and grudgingly, Raven had presented him with a worn, ancient bookshelf, which sat sadly empty, as Lan had no books.

He frowned, come to think of it, he didn't have _anything_, well, not here at least.

_I'll have to get my shit sent over. _Explaining to the family that he had joined an internationally acclaimed team of heroes was something he wasn't looking forward to.

Dressing himself, Lan stepped from his room into the dimly lit hall, and faintly, he heard a strange voice.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos. Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos."

Intrigued, Lan followed the odd chant, the dark voice echoing eerily in the dead quiet. Drawing near, the living room door slid back, allowing him access. The room seemed disturbingly empty in the darkness, void of life, it was an unsettling contrast to the warm, inviting feel it had given mere hours before.

But, the living room was not completely abandoned.

Legs crossed, Raven hovered mere inches above the floor, her dark blue cloak trailing down from her thin shoulders to rest in a collective heap on the ground. Eyes shut, her lips issued the soft chant that seemed so loud in the oppressive silence, echoing about Lan in the still room.

And though her face lacked any emotion, Lan could sense the calm emanating from Raven, it seemed to pulse from her, so strongly that the feeling of serenity seemed...tangible, almost as if Lan could outstretch his hand and take some of the peace for himself.

Abruptly, Raven halted her chanting, her lips sinking into a frown as Lan's presence broke her concentration, taking her from the balance she had found, and placing her back into reality.

Her cold, violet eyes finding Lan in the darkness, Raven fixed him with an icy glare.

"What is it?" she demanded.

Surprised at Raven's hostility, Lan took an unconscious step back.

"My bad, I was just walkin' around...and I heard someone chantin'."

Raven opened her mouth, about to make a retort when-

_This isn't about Lan anymore, is it? _

The words of Robin interjecting sharply, Raven felt a slight pang of guilt nip at her.

_At least give him a chance, it's the least you can do. _

"Look...damn it, I'm sorry," Raven muttered as she climbed to her feet, shrouding her face in the shadow of her hood.

Lan's face broke into a slightly lopsided grin, "my fault, I shouldn't have just walked in like that."

"No, really," Raven insisted, who seemed somewhat annoyed with herself. "You're new around here, you didn't know."

"Yeah," Lan muttered with a frown, "I feel sorta lost, don't know much about you guys, the Tower, hell, I don't know anythin' really."

"We don't know anything about you, either."

"Meh," Lan shrugged in a passive sort of way, "not much to know."

"You'd be surprised," said Raven, nodding towards the kitchen counter. "You thirsty?"

* * *

Accepting a mug of coffee from Raven, Lan stuck his nose into the curtain of steam that wreathed from the beverage, inhaling the rich smell with relish. 

"Thanks," he said gratefully, reaching for the creamer and sugar that had been provided.

"Can't see why you like that stuff," Raven said with a grimace, sipping lightly at her tea.

Lan shrugged, pouring a generous amount of sugar into his coffee, milky-brown with

cream. "So, how long have you been with team?" He asked casually, stirring the quickly dissolving sugar with his spoon.

"A couple years," Raven replied as she headed for the window.

"You like it here?"

Raven sighed, touching her forehead to the cool glass, watching the black water lick at the rocky shore below.

"It's hard to say."

"Hm?"

"It's a bit of both, really. Sometimes, I'm really glad to be here," Raven's face darkened slightly, "and sometimes, I just want to leave, to run off and just find a place of my own. Where I can be alone."

"Alone?" Lan frowned, "Why's that?"

"So I can meditate in peace."

"Is that what you were doing?" Lan jerked his head back, indicating the spot where Raven had previously floated.

She nodded, "It keeps my powers in check, I could loose control of my abilities if I don't."

"A bit silly, really," Raven grumbled, "that I have to wait until night before I can get some quiet around here."

""I don't like the night," Lan shuddered, staring resentfully into the blackness that loomed before him, broken only by the feeble twinkling of the stars. "Don't like it at all."

"Why?" Raven gave a content sigh, looking with some sense of affection into the same dark that Lan did with such contempt. "The world seems to be...serene, at peace, almost."

"Nah," Lan muttered, shaking his head, "that ain't how I see it."

"Oh?"

"Yeah..." Lan took a deep gulp of his coffee, "to me, the world isn't serene or...or at peace, or nothin' when it's night. It's like everyone died, 'cept you. Everyone else kinda went away, and left you behind...in the quiet, that silence, that's the worst."

It was then that Raven felt something...odd. An unsettling feeling had begun to emanate from Lan, a quiet disturbance that subtly pulsed from his aura.

Lan didn't seem to be addressing anyone now, as if he had forgotten that Raven stood at his side. He stared into the dark, his dull, glazed eyes focused in concentration, as if he were trying to see past the black, past the night and into the day that had yet to come.

"No talkin', no laughin', just...nothin'. And it's that...it's that fuckin' quiet that lets you know that you're really alone, and you begin to think that maybe... it's you who died. Everyone else is still out there, in the sun, in the light, but you can't see them. Because you've been left alone, swallowed by the dark."

The faint vibe suddenly spiked, a startling amount of energy rolling off Lan's thin frame. Raven hid her suspicious frown behind the rim of her mug, eyeing him warily.

Though considerably stronger, it was the same ripple, the same odd burst of energy that she had felt on the shore hours before. Now powerful enough to clearly read, Raven sensed the raw inexperience of this new energy, it was untamed, uncontrolled, it was doubtful Lan even _knew_ of this new development.

Raven looked away, joining Lan in staring at the night sky.

_I wonder..._

* * *

Slade grunted as his sparring partner caught him across the face. Marionette's gauntleted fist delivering a punishing strike that sent him reeling backwards. Blood trickling from his lip, Slade side stepped his opponent's next attack, Marionette's fist whisking mere inches past his face. Stepping inward, Slade rammed his knee into her gut, watching with a savage satisfaction as Marionette doubled over in pain. 

"You're not bad," Slade commented. Flooring her as he brought his elbow onto her the base of her skull. "But you lack power."

"And you lack speed," Marionette retorted. Kicking Slade's feet from under him with an elegant sweep of her leg. The crushing blow Slade had delivered seeming to have little effect on its receiver.

Grabbing the now fallen Slade from behind, Marionette wrapped a slender arm around his neck. Grappling him into an effective chokehold.

"I'm surprised you even asked for a match," she grunted. Struggling to keep Slade pinned. "Any particular reason?"

"I wanted to see if my new ally was worthy of my partnership," Slade snarled as he threw his head back, slamming into Marionette's face.

"Do I meet standards?" She questioned, clasping the back of Slade's head and slamming him face first into the floor.

"You're adequate, I'll give you that," he replied.

Whipping about, Slade sent his fist into Marionette's ribs, sending her a good few feet before sprawling out on the cold concrete in an undignified landing.

Slade clutched his throbbing hand, eyeing Marionette's full-body armor with contempt.

Marionette's slender form remained hidden behind a full suit of black steel. The durable metal painted with intricate designs of gold.

"We really should be watching the proceedings of the next stage of the plan," Marionette said irritably. Climbing to her feet. "This sparring isn't going to get us anywhere."

"We've got time. he wont wake, not for awhile," Slade responded calmly. Reaching into his belt, the villain produced his collapsible bo staff. With a snap of his wrist, the telescopic rod extended to its full length. Loser

Reaching for the sheaths strapped to her back, Marionette drew twin broadswords, the blades seemed to follow the same design as her armor, black, with spiraling patterns of gold.

"Are you certain-"

"For the last time, I am _positive_ that Gizmo is capable of what we ask," Slade growled, swinging at Marionette's head.

"The task is complicated, and I suspect that are guest will be less than willing to do as we ask." Ducking the heavy blow, Marionette stepped inwards, cracking Slade in the side with the hilt of her blade.

"That may be," unable to fight at such close range, Slade flipped backwards, his agile dodge rewarding him with several feet of space. "But Gizmo will be made to see reason, of that we can be sure."

"He'd better see soon," Marionette snarled irritably.

"Just why are you so eager?" Slade questioned, his bo staff giving a loud ring as he artfully parried his partner's blades. "We have time."

"...I have little patience," Marionette said, pressing her attack, "especially for those I have little confidence in. Such as this...Gizmo."

"I see..." Slade hid his skepticism behind his mask, aside the obvious, there was something he didn't quite trust in Marionette. His intricate mind had mulled over his partner's plan tirelessly, and the more he contemplated it, the more he began to suspect that perhaps his ally had an agenda of her own, one that might prove unbeneficial to him.

"Was it wise? To let Jinx live?" Side-stepping Marionette, Slade rammed the end of his staff into the back of her skull, flooring the lighter opponent.

"She is a factor, and perhaps an important one. The role she plays may be of use to us, but that remains to be seen."

"You had better know what you're doing."

Sheathing her left-hand blade with impossible speed, Marionette seized Slade's staff in mid-swing. Forcing the staff steady, she sent her second blade through Slade's personal weapon, slicing it in two.

"I always do."

A/N: Hot _damn_, this was hard to write. But it was totally worth it, I think I got some important things out in the open, hope you guys liked this chapter.


	5. Jason the Snitch

Regrem Erutaerc: Glad you think it was worth it too. Eh? What's this, a complaint? Ooh...damn, I should've cleared that up. Alright, Marionette isn't using a European broadsword, she's using Eastern ones. Hot damn, I can't imagine _holding_ one from Europe with one hand, let alone swing it, those things are heavy. I'm glad you pointed that out, though, or people would've probably gone thinking that.

Inuyasha's Apprentice: This chapter was smoother? Cool. Yeah, I got rid of Mammoth, but it was...necessary. I'm glad you like Lan, but I'm not too sure he's got the smarts to back up his muscle, as the story goes on you'll see that the decisions he makes aren't too er...wise.

Rovak: Good to hear my fic is somewhat original.

Teleportal: Glad you like it, and yeah, things are gonna get better over time.

warprince2000: Glad you like it.

* * *

"Cape?"

"Hmm...nah. He wouldn't look good in one. Besides, you gotta wear tights with a cape."

"Sick, really?"

"Yeah, superhero _tradition_."

"Ew."

"Yeah, I ain't wearin' no tights."

Cyborg frowned poking thoughtfully at his plate of eggs.

"We need to find you a decent uniform, and _fast_."

Robin chuckled through a mouthful of cereal, waggling his spoon at Lan.

"Yeah, you don't look very official."

Still without a Titan uniform, Lan had been given little choice but to wear what Robin had lent him. In his sweatshirt and jeans, he seemed out of place among his comrades, appearing almost _too_ casual.

"I dunno," Lan tugged at his sweatshirt, grinning. "If this shit was tougher, I'd totally wear it. I don't see how Raven stands that leo...leo-"

"Leotard," Robin said helpfully.

"Yeah...that thing," Lan shuddered.

"Dude, where is she anyways?" Beast Boy called from the couch, not breaking his unblinking concentration to the morning cartoons that flashed across the screen. "We buzzed her room like a million years ago."

"More like an hour, B.B," Cyborg said. "But it is weird."

Raven had been coming to breakfast at an amazingly regular rate over the past few weeks. It was odd that the sorceress would abruptly stop.

Starfire, not surprisingly, seemed in particular the most concerned with Raven's sudden absence.

"I hope our friend is not feeling the depressed," she said, sipping anxiously at her glass of mustard.

"Hold up, are you drinking _mustard_?" Lan questioned, shooting Starfire a puzzled look.

Her face brightening, Starfire outstretched her arm, offering Lan the glass.

"Oh yes! This Earth condiment is indeed delicious! Would you like some, friend?"

"Naw, I'm good, thanks..."

"Very well," Starfire said cheerily, guzzling happily at her strange beverage. "Though I think it would do you good, this drink provides wonderful energy!"

"Yeah, and you'll _need_ it," Cyborg guffawed, throwing Lan a strange grin.

"Huh?"

Hiding his own smile behind the rim of his glass, Robin stuck a thumb over his shoulder, indicating the sparring chamber.

"We said we'd train you, didn't we?"

* * *

"_There_ you are," with a wave of her hand, Raven sent a particularly heavy book floating from the shelf, encased in a thick wreath of black energy. Manipulated through Raven, the book opened before her, the pages turning in rapid succession.

"Come on, come o - ah! Here it is."

Abruptly, the book ceased its movement, revealing the worn, faded text scrawled in a thin, flowing hand across the yellowed pages:

_ While many of those in tune with magic discover their unusual gifts at an early age, there are some who remain unfortunately oblivious to the power that lays dormant within them. Their full potential caged, their abilities emerge in ways that seem...unconventional. _

_ In my travels, I have seen these unfortunate few display the aforementioned abilities in very different ways. One young male could change the color of his eyes at will, another could lengthen, and shorten her hair. _

_ Perhaps most incredible of all, one young girl had the ability to mimic any voice she wished. Why, one, or perhaps even two words from this old wizard's mouth, and I found my own voice wheezing back at me, quite amusing, I must admit. _

_ While I did offer to each, only the young girl with the ability to alter her voice undertook the role of apprentice. And I must say, I am very glad she did. Cunning my young Jane is, eager and quick to learn, and if I am permitted to say it, a charming young lady.  
_

_ After a feel of my own sorcery, her own powers have been awakened, and are developing at a rate that I am both alarmed, and very pleased with. Fortunately, Jane has not lost the talent of mimicking my scratchy ramblings, which I have grown rather fond of, I must admit. _

Raven's eyes swept quickly over the page several times more, biting her lip as she digested this new information. There was no doubting it, Lan contained, like those from centuries past, a dormant power, one that could be brought to the surface.

To be sure, should Raven teach Lan, the team would be strengthened as a whole, it was the right choice, the correct decision.

_ But..._

Raven could not ignore that Lan's powers were meager, still at the infantile stages of development.

"Just like Terra's," Raven whispered.

Raven feared that, under her tutelage, Lan might bring them down a path that was all too familiar. But it wasn't fair, Lan was a stark contrast to her former teammate, and to hinder his progress because of her own paranoid imaginings was wrong.

Shutting the book, Raven sighed, staring gloomily at the worn cover.

It was going to be a long day.

* * *

"...this...isn't this kinda a big step up from training with machines?" 

Lan eyed Starfire's slender arms with a warily.

"I mean...this ain't even _fair_."

Through countless news broadcasts, Lan was all too familiar with Starfire's combat prowess, her delicate build masking the massive strength she possessed. Coupled with her starbolts, Lan's sparring partner was undeniably formidable.

Against the untarnished white that tiled the sparring room, Robin's bright green uniform was hard to miss.

"Don't sweat it," Robin said casually, "Starfire isn't going to go all out. No flying, and no starbolts."

"Yeah, quit stressin' man," Cyborg said reassuringly. "You'll be fine, a couple of scratches is all you'll get."

With a bubbly giggle, Starfire gave Lan a bright smile.

"I am confident you will do well, friend," she said kindly, "you have proven most durable, despite your meager body."

"Gee, thanks..."

"Alright, y'all ready?" Cyborg asked, a stopwatch set for five minutes clutched in his massive hand.

"Please, Cyborg, proceed," Starfire said, the prospect of battle failing to dampen her spirit.

The same however, could not be said for Lan. Licking at his dry lips, he gave a simple nod.

"BEGIN!"

Starfire proved to be an impressively aggressive fighter, lunging forward, she rained down a flurry of blows that proved to be too much for Lan, who, despite his best efforts failed to evade a particularly quick strike. The punch was inhumanly powerful, sending him a good ten feet before he landed in a crumpled heap.

"A couple of scratches, huh?" Robin muttered to his massive friend.

Cyborg shrugged his broad shoulders.

"I had to say _something_."

Despite his natural talent, Lan proved a minor challenge for Starfire's years of experience. Against the artful subtlety of her attacks, Lan's speed was rendered useless, who dodged from one blow, only to find another. His punches were countered, his kicks blocked, and Lan was sent crashing to the floor, again, and again, and again.

Until, at long last, Cyborg's stopwatch gave a feeble beep. Signaling the end of the horrendously one sided match.

"TIME'S UP!" he shouted hastily.

Abandoning her stance, Starfire bent over Lan, offering her hand with a smile.

"Thank you for the match, friend."

Easily lifted by Starfire's strength, Lan managed a weak smile of his own.

"We'll have to do this again sometime."

* * *

"Forget it!" 

His face a sneer of defiance, Gizmo writhed in his bonds, his meager limbs straining against the chains that confined him to the wall.

Grinning at his captive's rebellious nature, Slade chuckled.

"Come now, you've helped me in the past, why not do it again?"

"Because you're a scrum-buffin', two-timin' back stabber!" Gizmo snarled. "Ooooh, if I had my gear, I'd kick your hide to the curb!"

"It is in your best interest that you refrain from attacking me, Gizmo," Slade said, his voice chillingly indifferent. "You see, you _must_ help us."

"Must? I don't have to do _anything_. Why would I help you? You wasted Mammoth!"

"_This_ is the genius you were telling me about?" Slipping from the shadows, Marionette gave a Gizmo a scrutinizing look from behind her wooden mask.

"He seems very daft."

"No, just very stubborn."

The sight of Marionette drove Gizmo to greater heights of anger. Rattling his chains wildly, he glared at the newcomer.

"_You_."

"Yes," Marionette replied amusedly, "me."

"Perhaps, Gizmo, you do not fully understand what I have so simply conveyed," Slade's voice had turned icily threatening. "So I shall put it into terms that you might understand."

Gizmo was caught by a strike to his gut, Slade's gauntleted fist driving the breath from his body.

"I will _kill_ you, Gizmo, if you do not do as I say. I will give you to her."

Slade relished Gizmo's shocked silence, he'd finally gotten through.

Leaning over, Slade hissed maliciously in Gizmo's ear.

"Do you understand me, Gizmo? I will leave you here, alone with my partner. She took little satisfaction from Mammoth, it was too quick for her, too easy. And if you refuse me Gizmo, you will die here, merely to sate her sick thirst. Help me, you _must_."

"...fine."

* * *

"Fucking pwned!" Leaning back in his chair, Jason Tret allowed himself a grin, admiring the fresh corpses that littered the virtual ground on his computer monitor. "You little noobs can't handle my skill. I'm too leet."

From his sandy blonde hair to his baggy jeans, Jason was very much the modern teen. His spacious apartment was a very different scene from that of his...questionable acquaintances. It seemed comfortable, from the overstuffed couch to the large, sleek TV. The white walls were nearly buried under photos, the square prints covering every conceivable inch of space they could, they were snapshots of family, and of friends.

And then there were...those photos.

The far wall seemed to be completely devoted to black and white photos, which seemed oddly out of place when compared to the multitude of colors that had been stuck to the other walls. And each colorless photo was not a picture of smiling relations or his jovial friends, each contained a grim face, easily recognizable as some of the greatest arch-villains in Jump City.

Dr. Light, Johnny Rancid, Gizmo, Mammoth, Jinx, and other key criminals had been taped to the wall in some sort of bizarre trophy collection. And in each of these photos, Jason's targets seemed unaware of his presence, never facing the camera.

A buzz at the door drew Jason's attention from his game, with a groan, he stood, heading for the communication panel integrated with the wall. Hitting a worn, yellowing button with his thumb, he spoke into the receiver.

"Yeah?"

"...Jason?"

_ Jinx? _Nearly recoiling from the speaker, Jason's mind raced furiously, he'd know that voice anywhere, but what was it doing _here_?

"Jason? Look, I-I really need a place to stay...something's come up and...and," a long, shuddering sigh broke Jinx's words. She sounded tired, sapped of her usual vigor, "can you just let me in? I'll explain everything."

* * *

A/N: Sorry about the late update, I've been busy with Doom 3, it's a great game, lots of gore, and the suspense aspect is very well done. If you're not too squeamish, go pick it up, it's been out for awhile so you can get a used copy cheap. Oh yeah, the 360 is fucking _out_, and I can't afford one, I'm going insane over here. 


	6. The Chain of Command

"Can't say this is new," Lan muttered dryly as he rocked back and forth on the roof ledge, looking blankly down at the rocky shore hundreds of feet below. Brushing strands of unruly hair from his face, Lan frowned as his fingers rubbed against a particularly nasty bruise, the lump of discolored skin roughly the size of Starfire's fist.

Though painful, his match with Starfire had been informative, very, very informative. It had been an abrupt awakening, to learn that despite his inhuman physical prowess, he was little more than a green rookie, if even that.

Reaching for his neck, Lan produced a necklace from underneath his collar, staring hard at the crescent-shaped chunk of ivory that hung from a length of platinum chain.

_ If only you could see me now. _He thought sullenly.

"Hey."

Hastily tucking the accessory back underneath his shirt, Lan turned to find Raven, her eyes sweeping over him with their usual indifference.

"Oh, hey," Lan forced a grin, "what brings you up here?"

Raven shrugged, though the effect was lost under her cloak.

"Nothing really, just felt like some air," Raven stated simply, joining Lan at the edge of the roof. Her eyes flickered from Lan to the shore. "What's got you down?"

"Hm?" Lan gave Raven a puzzled look, "what d'ya mean?"

Raven failed to suppress a smile, "You're...easy to read, let's just say that."

Lan shook his head disapprovingly, "You know, I got a strict policy on others digging around in my head."

"I didn't."

Lan sighed exasperatedly, "So, what, I'm just obvious, right?"

"No, I'm just good at this. I hope to make a career of it."

"A shrink?" Lan asked.

"More or less."

Lan gave a more genuine smile, "you'd be rakin' in the cash, with powers like yours."

"Frightened," Raven said abruptly.

Lan blinked, "sorry?"

"You're scared," Raven said, fixing Lan with a steely eye. "You're afraid to die."

"Well…isn't everyone?"

Raven didn't seem to be listening.

"But...there are ways you could improve, ways you could...nullify your fear of an untimely demise."

"Yeah, I know. Robin told me all about trainin'."

Raven shook her head, "That's not what I meant," taking her right arm from under her cloak, she presented it to Lan, her pale skin encased in a black magic that licked at her arm like a flame.

"How would you like another teacher?"

* * *

"You can look, but don't touch," Raven advised as she shut the door to her room, watching Lan with rapt attention as he neared one of her numerous bookshelves. 

"God _damn_..." Lan muttered as his eyes swept over the impossibly thick books, ancient, indistinguishable runes written across the covers. "You can read this shit?"

"Yeah," Raven replied casually.

"Er...I ain't gonna have to read this, am I?"

"Probably not," Raven responded as she headed for another bookshelf, the same book she had consulted earlier floating neatly into her hands.

Lan breathed a sigh of relief.

"Great, I ain't a big fan of books, too...wordy."

"Imagine that," Raven muttered dryly as she leafed through her book, her violet eyes scanning the pages.

"So...what am I learnin' here?" Lan asked, a hint of anxiety in his voice. "You weren't exactly clear up on the roof."

"This might sound a bit...weird," seating herself on the edge of her bed, Raven tapped the book in her lap, "but I'm going to teach you--well...magic."

Lan turned sharply around, fixing Raven with a disbelieving look.

"No _way_."

"Mm-hm," Raven nodded, tapping the book once more, "according to this, there've been others like you before."

"Others like me?" Lan said, excitement creeping into his voice.

"Like the other cases, your power has manifested itself on some level," Raven explained. "Hence your supernatural physical abilities. But your powers will never reach their full potential without the help of a..." she couldn't resist a smile, "_talented_ individual."

Resting his thin frame against the wall, Lan gave a short, nervous laugh.

"How long is this gonna take?"

"Well, that depends."

"On?"

"Awakening your powers from its dormancy should be reasonably brief," Raven said as she consulted her book, "but mastering it is going to be a gradual process."

"How gradual is gradual?" Lan asked impatiently.

Raven shrugged.

"Depends on how fast you learn."

"Shit, if I'm learnin' magic for real, I can start right fuckin' _now_," Lan blurted enthusiastically.

"Alright then," shutting the book, Raven gestured for Lan to come forward as she stood.

"Here," she held out her hand, "give me your arm."

Complying, Lan offered his arm, which Raven took by the wrist, her long fingers wrapping easily around his thin limb.

"From what I've managed to piece together, exposure to my own powers should activate yours. But other than that, the process is sketchy, I'm a little short on details."

Raven felt Lan's arm tense.

"This...is this gonna hurt?"

Raven frowned as she felt a spasm of fear pass through Lan that was abnormally strong.

"If you're having second thoughts I co-"

"No," Lan said suddenly, his grip turning into an iron vise.

"I need this," he said fervently.

Raven nearly let go in surprise, the new emotion that passed from Lan to her eclipsed all other feeling. Fear, doubt, it vanished under a wave of sick desire, a twisted hunger.

"I-"

_ For the good of the team..._

"You ready?" Raven asked hesitantly.

Lan nodded, licking anxiously at his lips.

"Yeah, ready."

Chanting softly under her breath, the usual black of Raven's magic began to spread. Lan gave a shuddering gasp as it slowly traveled the length of his arm, it was like being encased in the coldest ice.

Gradually, Raven's whispered spells became faster, her pale lips working rapidly as she recited line after line of some forgotten language, spurring the magic she controlled on to greater efforts. Lan grimaced, if at all possible, the magic was colder than ever, moving quickly now to freeze his entire body.

But as his legs were completely engulfed, Lan noted a deifinite problem. The icy sensation, he could feel it working its way deeper, mingling with his blood, rushing through his veins.

Lan's lungs refused to work, rejecting the air he took in short, sporadic gasps. He could feel Raven's spell wrapping itself about his heart, slowing its furious beating to an almost non-existent twitch.

"R..Raven..." Lan gasped weakly, "st-stop..."

But Raven did not stop, rather, she began to chant faster.

Lan's slowed mind gasped the concept: Raven was going to kill him.

Panic filling Lan's deadened brain, he struggled against his confines, to little avail, his muscles refused to obey, mastered by the magic that worked its way past Lan's neck. And, as Lan was fully imprisoned, he lost consciousness, Raven's grim face fading into blackness.

* * *

"Dead?" 

"Dead."

Tapping his cigarette against the ashtray, Jason watched Jinx through the thin trails of smoke that wreathed into the air thoughtfully, his mind working furiously as it processed the startling new string of information.

"Why'd you come?" he asked gently. Despite their differences, Jason could not say he disliked Jinx, questionable as her morals were.

"I told you," Jinx said, forcing her voice to a point of normality. "I need a place to stay."

Jason put his cigarette to his lips, the end glowing a bright orange as he inhaled. It was a good act, he'd give her that, but Jinx couldn't fool him. She was saddened by the passing of her partners, no matter what front she put up.

"I know you, you're in with a lot of people. You could've crashed at a lot of other places, most of which better than my apartment."

"My connections don't track criminals," Jinx replied.

"...what do my records have to do with this?"

"I need them," Jinx nodded to the wall, indicating the numerous pictures of criminals. "You've been watching people like me for years."

"I'm still not following," Jason said, playing dumb. He had a very good idea what Jinx wanted, and he didn't like it.

"I want to find Slade," Jinx said, her eyes flickering for the briefest moment with a strange light.

"Then do it on your own," Jason replied shortly. "If word gets out that I'm your source-"

"It wont."

"It's a risk I'm not about to take."

Jinx stood, "Don't help me, and I'll make sure everyone knows you're a snitch for the Titans."

At this, Jason stiffened.

"You _wouldn't_," he hissed, a definite note of panic in his voice.

"I will, unless you give me what I want, _now_," Jinx felt a pang of guilt gnaw at her. She hated stooping down to threats, especially to an individual she respected as much as Jason.

Snatching another cigarette from the pack, Jason stuck it into his mouth as he lit the end.

"You can sleep on the couch."

* * *

"Raven, I can not _believe _you." 

Rubbing furiously at his temples, Robin shot Raven an angry glare.

"He deserves our _trust_."

Raven felt a ripple of anger pass through her, Lan didn't deserve anything.

"Trust? He hasn't earned our trust," Raven said, fighting to keep her voice steady.

"We don't know _anything_ about him, Raven," Robin growled. "You didn't have any right to-"

"No, no, I _do_ know something about him," Raven snapped, cutting her leader off. "What, you didn't think I'd find anything while I was digging around in there?" Raven gestured towards Lan, who lay unconscious on her bed. "He's sick, Robin, there's something wrong with him. _Seriously_ wrong."

"And what's that?" Robin asked, his voice skeptical.

Raven brought her hand to Lan's forehead, her fingertips barely brushing against his head.

"It's there, festering...growing." But in truth, Raven did not know what exactly this oddity was. It lay concealed, unreachable through the frenzied mass of thought that rushed across the surface of Lan's mentality.

"And what exactly is it?"

"It's..." Raven sighed, drawing her hand back to her side, "I don't know, but I've got a bad feeling about it."

"...that's _it_?" Robin snarled, "you lied about teaching him, knocked him out, and all you get is a _bad feeling_?"

"You know I'm never wrong about these th-"

"Well, guess what?" Robin had risen from his chair, crossing the distance between himself and Raven in two quick strides. "I don't think you could be more wrong about this."

"I know I'm r-"

"No, shut up," Robin snapped, "this lack of trust is an insult. To the team and to Lan."

"You d-"

"Does Lan have dormant abilities? Or was that just another lie?" Robin demanded.

Raven remained defiantly silent, her lips pulling into a sneer that mared her attractive features.

"Raven," Robin growled dangerously, "does Lan have dormant abilities?"

Showing slight respect for Robin's position as team leader, she inclined her head slightly in conformation.

"Then I order you to tap them, as you promised," the Boy Wonder said forcefully.

"And if I refuse?" Raven growled in a surge of defiance.

"Then you're off the team," Robin said threateningly.

As difficult as it was, Raven held her tongue.

"...fine."

"No, not 'fine'," Robin said angrily, "it's 'yes sir'. Say it."

Hidden beneath her cloak, Raven's hands had curled into fists, her knuckles white with the force she clenched them with. She could feel the blood rushing to her face, gathering into her cheeks as two heated spots.

"Yes, sir," she muttered sullenly. Averting her eyes from Robin's hard gaze.

Robin seemed satisfied. Sweeping past Raven, he opened the door, light seeping into the gloom of Raven's quarters.

"Lan is a Titan now," stepping into the hall, Robin turned to give Raven a sharp look as the door slid shut "The sooner you get used to it, the better."

With a spectacular crash, the lamp on Raven's desk shattered. Bits of jagged metal whipping randomly about the room.

"I can not _believe _him," Raven growled as a particularly large chunk of lamp flew past her face, imbedding itself into the wall.

Wasn't it so _obvious_, so stunningly clear? Underneath something sinister waited, something dark, struggling to break free of its host. Lan couldn't be trusted, and yet, despite her protests, they all trusted Lan, blindly accepting him as a teammate, naively naming him a friend.

Looking down on Lan in disgust, Raven felt an intense dislike for her teammate.

_ He's nothing, _she thought maliciously, _I could break him. _

_ D-don't say that…_a timid voice squeaked, _you…you wouldn't, would you? Oh, please don't… _

"What can I do? The others, they don't trust me, I-"

_ I'll tell you what you can do! _A second voice snarled. _You can crush that fool, rend the flesh from hi- _

_ No, _a third voice butted in sharply. _Your suspicions have yet to be confirmed, I would advise you to wait. _

_ Suspicions? I don't know what you're talking about, he's a cool guy. _This voice suggested a fondness for Lan.

_ Look at that scrawny fucker, I could snap him in two! _

_ Please don't say that… _

"Quiet," Raven snapped, and instantly, her emotions fell silent. "You

_ Yes? _Wisdom's steady, patient voice rung in her head.

"What do you think?"

_ …I am unsure of Lan as well…but I see no cause for the hostile actions you have taken. _

"But you've felt it, haven't you?"

_ Well, yes but… _

Raven sighed, "But?"

_ I do not perceive this oddity as you do. _

"Meaning?"

_ I see this as an absence, a neutral spot in Lan's mind. He has the potential to become one of us, but there is an equal chance that under certain circumstances, he could turn to an unfavorable alternative._

"But this is your perception, you could be wrong," Raven reasoned._   
_

_And I could be right. Lan is a fragile thing, manipulate him correctly, and he will follow you without question. _

"But how?"

_ The bond between master and student will prove an effective tether. Do as you promised: teach him. _

A/N: Damn, I've been real lazy with this fic. Sorry about the late updates.


	7. The Deal

A/N: Alright, some of you are asking for more BB/R action. All in good time people, you'll get it soon enough.

* * *

Arms crossed, Jinx let her head rest against the car seat's headrest. 

"Remind me, exactly _what_ are we doing?" Jinx said grumpily, casting Jason a surly look.

"I told you," Jason said, his fingers tapping to the steady beat that accompanied the deep voice rapping from the speakers. "We're getting drinks."

"Drinks?" Jinx gave Jason an incredulous look.

"Yeah, you could use one," Jason said, "trust me, you'll feel better after a couple of shots. Well, maybe more than a _couple_."

"I don't drink," Jinx said irritatedly.

"Trust me, I think you'll be glad we came here," Jason said with a smile.

"People will _recognize_ me," Jinx hissed, casting a nervous glance out the window at the cars speeding by.

Jason gave a snort, "I doubt it. Every time I look over I forget it's you."

Jinx looked at her faint reflection in the dark window.

_He's got a point..._

Jinx barely recognized herself. Her straightened hair had been dyed, turning her into a convincing brunette. Her old attire abandoned, Jinx's wardrobe consisted strictly of clothes from Jason's younger years. A pair of colored contacts disguised her irises, turning them a dark shade of brown.

"But we're not old enough to drink," Jinx argued. "How are we supposed t-"

"Didn't I tell you not to worry?" Jason snapped impatiently. "Trust me, alright? We'll grab a couple of drinks and if all goes well..."

"What do you mean 'if all goes well'?"

"Let's just say things might be a lot easier after tonight."

Turning onto the exit ramp, Jason steered them onto more local roads. It was not long until he pointed out their appointed destination.

"Here," Jason said suddenly, swerving sharply into the parking lot. "This is the spot."

Leaning forward in her seat, Jinx peered upward at the sign.

Written in bold, stylized letters of crimson red was the title: Nitch's.

* * *

"How much longer?" Slade asked smoothly. 

Gizmo made a frustrated noise, his deft fingers flying over the keyboard.

"Tinman's been busy," he grumbled, "he's made a new system for the Tower. Top of the line security."

"Can you crack it?" Marionette questioned, running the flat side of her blade along Gizmo's neck, watching with a sadistic pleasure as his tiny frame shuddered.

"No, not with what I have with me. But!" Gizmo added hastily, noting Marionette's feral growl. "I can make a virus, you upload it, and the whole computer system should go on the fritz

"How long?" Slade's single eye flicking back and forth along the schematics rolling across the screen.

"That scruffin' robot probably knows a virus is the easiest way to go. He'll have some sort of self maintenance program. But it'll take awhile to get rid of one of _my _viruses," a hint of pride accompanied this statement. "Give or take three minutes."

"Doable." Marionette mused quietly. "But we'll be cutting it close, there's always the possibility we'll run into the Titans."

"Not if they're out of the Tower," Slade retorted, "Plasmus should keep them occupied."

"Plasmus?"

"I'll introduce you later. How long will this virus take to program?"

"You'll have to give me awhile," the boy genius muttered nervously, "this isn't going to be easy."

"How long is 'awhile'?" Marionette growled.

"About a…week?" Gizmo said meekly, cringing under the masked villain's glare.

"A week is too long, you'll do it in-"

"No, a week is fine."

Marionette shot Slade an incredulous glare.

"_What?_"

"I know Robin, I know him very well," Slade said calmly, "but the others, I know them on a less than intimate scale. If we are to elicit the correct responses, then we must observe Robin's comrades."

"They are a…diverse group," Marionette admitted grudgingly, "I trust you have to means to study the others?"

"Of course."

* * *

"My man! Right on schedule!" 

Reaching across the table, Jason shook hands with a considerably older man, his pale, sickly features partially concealed by a frame of lank onyx hair. His intimidating appearance was slightly dwarfed by his less than impressive height, layers of black concealing his slight frame.

"Jason," he growled coarsely, inclining his head slightly in acknowledgement. Jason's acquaintance let his eyes drift lazily over Jinx, a spark of interest kindled in his dark irises. "This your friend?"

"Yup," Jason said in a convincing tone of truth, "Sarah, this is the informant I was telling you about his name's-"

"That's not important," the informant said sharply, his eyes still lingering on Jinx. "Call me Sean."

"Right, well…Sarah, Sean."

"A pleasure, _Sarah_," the informant extended his arm towards Jinx.

Jinx nodded coldly, clasping his pale, scarred hand. She had the vague suspicion that Jason's friend was more than a simple snitch.

"Now then," for a brief moment, Sean's face was illuminated in the glow of a single match held to a cigarette clenched between his teeth, revealing four thin scars running diagonally along the length of his face. "I understand you have questions."

Taking his seat, Jason nodded.

"We need to know about Slade."

"That's dangerous, nosing into _his_ business," Sean rasped quietly.

"Never stopped me before," Jason replied cheerily.

"Fine, what do you want to know?"

"We need to know if Slade is working with anyone," Jinx blurted out, cutting Jason off.

Sean blinked, surprised at Jinx's sudden boldness.

"…to the best of my knowledge Slade works alone. Ever since his last apprentice came to an…unexpected end. Terra, if I remember correctly."

Jinx shook her head. "Not an apprentice, a partner."

"That's unlikely," Sean grunted, "Slade needs to feel in control, someone to carry out his will."

Jason gave a short, humorless laugh, recalling the devastation the young traitor had wrought during her master's short reign over Jump City.

"If you're looking for information that specific, I can't help you," Sean continued, watching Jinx's face fall.

"But…there have been rumors," Jinx shifted slightly in her seat, watching Sean with rapt attention, "word has it that a…woman with a mask came to the City a while back. But I don't know how legit these tips are, I've always had…" Sean smirked, "_bad luck _with unreliable sources."

Jinx's hand tightened slightly around her glass of untouched alcohol.

"Anything less vague?" Jason asked.

Sean ground his considerably shortened cigarette into the ashtray, picking another one from the pack.

"Well…"

* * *

_Awaken. _

Jerked violently from his sleep, Lan bolted upright, his hand instinctively clutching at his furiously beating heart.

_Good, your presence is distinct. _Raven's voice seemed to stem from every facet of existence, the withered trees, the ground, the very air itself speaking.

"Raven?" Unnerved by the sound, Lan wiped at his face, damp with a sheen of cold sweat. "Where the hell are you?"

More importantly, where was Lan? He sat on a narrow path, suspended by an unperceivable force, hanging miles above the fathomless black below. Above him, streaks of grey cloud hung still, caught by the violet sky. Lan shuddered, rubbing his numb hands together, wherever he was, it was freezing.

_Shhh…do not rely on your physical voice. Let your inner self speak. _

_What, like this? _Lan was surprised to hear his own voice reverberating into the air, just as Raven's had.

_Yes, how do you feel? _

_I feel…the same. _

_I see… _

_Where exactly am I? _

_You wouldn't believe me if I told you. _

_Try me. _

_Look, it's not where we are that's important. _

Lan was suddenly aware of a black, swirling circle breaking the stretch of gray path. The recognizable blue of Raven's hood rising from the dark patch.

"Your power has increased," Raven looked down on Lan, pity etched into her face. "But you are still so small, so insignificant."

"Then train me." Lan said instantly. "I'll do anythin'."

Raven's searching eyes traced over Lan's face.

_There! _Wisdom hissed. _Exploit his want for power. _

"Anything?" Raven asked quietly.

"Anythin'," Lan replied fervently. The same sensation of wild greed rolling off of him. "Just make me stronger."

"Then kneel."

A look of hesitant confusion flashed briefly over Lan's face, his features quickly rearranging into an expression of docile obedience as he brought himself into a kneeling position.

"If I see the slightest hint of treachery Lan, to me or my companions, you will no longer be apprentice to me," Raven said frostily.

"You disobey me, and I will _break _you. Strip you of your power, and your will," Raven felt a deep sense of satisfaction at the minute shudder that ran through Lan. To inspire such fear, to wield dominance, it was a rush. "You will not inform the others of our agreement. As far as the others are concerned, we're teammates, nothing more."

_There. _Wisdom whispered. _He is nearly yours. Press your advantage. _

"But obey me," Raven's voice dropped from its former harshness, to take on a gentler form. "And you will come to know true power. Do you accept?"

Her manipulations elicited the desired reaction, a twisted grin breaking Lan's formerly expressionless face.

"Yes."

Raven nodded, "good."

Four lines of black energy sprang up from the ground, constricting Lan by the ankles and wrists.

"What's this?" He asked nervously.

"To keep you from thrashing," Raven said indifferently, "anger, hatred, guilt, your powers stem from all negative emotion. If I were to bring certain memories to the surface, then I may set something into motion."

Grabbing the hem of her cloak, Raven tore off a small piece of blue cloth.

"If you want me to stop, just spit this out," Raven held the piece of fabric up to Lan's mouth, who bit immediately onto the bit of cape, eager to press on.

"You ready?"

Lan nodded fervently, his eyes fixed intently on Raven's hand.

Leaning forward, the sorceress let her fingertips come into contact with his skin.

Lan let out a muffled scream, his convulsing body tugging frantically at the bonds that held him in place. It was the most intense pain he had ever known, a white-hot burning that burrowed into the depths of his mind.

Her eyes shut in concentration, Raven shut out Lan's shrieks, focusing only on learning his memories. She did not have to look long, his mind was dominated by thoughts of a woman, her slender face wearing a grim smile.

A single voice began to speak, murky and unclear.

_I don't expect you to understand. _

These memories were accompanied by a sense of happiness. But were dwarfed by a sense of bitter resentment coupled with a contemptuous jealousy. Holding fast to these memories, Raven willed them to the surface of Lan's mind.

The cloth fell to the ground. A scream cutting the air.

Recoiling as though she'd been burned, Raven broke her connection with Lan, her eyes snapping open to look hurriedly down at his shaking form. He was doubled over, drawing breath in sharp, uneven gasps.

Jagged lines of red arched sporadically along the surface of Lan's skin, fueled by the rage coursing through him. To embrace the deep rooted anger and hatred that had for so long lay dormant was euphoric. Raven's power was negated, overridden by Lan's new found ability. Staggering to his feet, he stared down at his trembling body, his eyes issuing a blood red light.

"Lan?" Raven asked cautiously, she was unsettled, she had perceived such a reaction.

But he could not hear Raven, all he knew was the blissful pain that burned his flesh.

It was the most amazing sensation Lan had ever experienced. It was as if an essential part of himself had been torn away, replaced by an artificial component, one that did not belong.

His voice was strangely warped, distorted into an inhuman growl.

"More."

* * *

A/N: The word of the day: Existence. I recently stumbled on a sexist forum, where I read post upon endless post of the most inane, retarded shit I had ever seen. They were explanations, poorly expressed reasons on why women were inferior to men. Now, as you could have guessed, I _hate_ the concept of sexism, just as much as I despise the disgusting idea of racism. After reading about ten of these retarded posts, I realized something. 

Life is a challenge, a constant series of obstacles that one must overcome to earn the right to exist. I don't understand why someone would want to live in constant hatred. It's just not smart. Why not spend your life being happy? Why not devote your time to something meaningful? Something that leaves you with content?

But they choose to do so, and it puzzles me. They're…in a sense, _failing_ life. And I ask myself, do they deserve to exist? To squander what little time they have on something so inane is just retarded.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter, don't forget to review.


	8. Bonding

A/N: Alright guys, I can't have Lan run around fighting crime in jeans and a t-shirt. So I'm gonna need some help with coming up with a uniform. I'll take the ideas you give me and see what I can do with 'em. Seriously any ideas/opinions are welcome. Thanks!

Beast Boy did not understand why he still came, there was nothing for him there. It was not worth the time, the effort to simply relive memories he had once tried so desperately to forget.

But he couldn't stay away.

Maybe he still clung to hope, that one day he would come, and he would find her there, and she wound remember. For now however, he would settle with paying his respects, brought in the form of a single rose. She had always liked roses.

A bitter smile pulled at Beast Boy's lips. There was no "she". Terra was gone, she was dead.

_ She doesn't exist, not anymore. _

He wished he could believe it. He wanted to forget her, to abandon that past.

Slowly, he let his eyes work their way up, his sight falling on the absence of a statue. He could still recall her from his memories, vivid images that never seemed to fade away with age. She was beautiful, in a way only Beast Boy could see, an attraction that transcended her face, her form.

He scanned over the commemorative plaque placed before at the base of her former resting place, the only link to the girl he once knew.

Terra

A Teen Titan

A True Friend

But she had been more than a friend to Beast Boy, she had understood him, something no one else had ever done. She had been special.

But had he loved her?

Of that Beast Boy was not sure. He was too young, too inexperienced to know. But he was sure of this: he had cared for Terra, more than anyone could know.

"Why don't you remember me?" he whispered, a single tear falling from his olive eyes. The rose tumbled loosely from his land, landing softly into the pile at her feet.

"Maybe she doesn't want to."

Beast Boy turned, Raven's pale complexion jutted from the darkness. She held a violet in her grey hands, withered and dead.

"I'm surprised…never thought you'd come here."

This was the first time Terra could not be ignored, here in what had once been her final resting place, neither Raven nor Beast Boy were able to push the subject of their late teammate aside.

"She saved our lives." Raven replied stiffly, brushing past Beast Boy, she crouched down to place her flower to the pile. Her contribution a stark contrast to the collection. "A sacrifice like that can't go unnoticed."

"But you still hate her, don't you?" Beast Boy asked sadly.

"… I can't forget, not after what she did," Raven said, pulling her cloak tighter about her body as she straightened.

"She doesn't even remember-"

"We've been through this before." she cut him off quickly. Eager to avoid the conversation Beast Boy had wanted for so long. "I told you, I don't want to talk about it."

"No," in an uncharacteristic display of boldness, the changeling blocked Raven's path, "we're going to, _now_."

"What, you're going to make me?"

"No, I'm going to let you. You've wanted to get this off of your chest for a long time, you're just too proud."

Raven gave an exasperated sigh.

"And you wont shut up unless I do. Will you?"

"Probably not."

Raven pressed a hand to her temple, the all too familiar symptoms of a headache slowly seizing her skull.

"Fine, but we're not doing it here."

* * *

Starfire grimaced, watching Lan dodge another hail of Starbolts, the projectiles biting craters into the floor. She found his advancements startling, they were too quick, too sudden. How could he double his capabilities in the span of a single day? 

_ "I am…unsure, friend Lan. I do not believe you are ready for the incorporation of my full abilities into our sparring matches…  
"Come on, Star, pllllease?" _

The Tamaranian gave her head a small shake, there was no time to ponder Lan's unexplained change. Reminding herself that all efforts were in keeping her sparring partner at a safe range. This was proving difficult, his movements were chaotic, almost frantic.

_ "I do not wish to see you hurt."  
"Trust me Star, I think the pains gonna be worth it." _

Starfire cursed fluidly in her native tongue, sending another volley of green towards Lan. He had ceased his frenzied circling, choosing instead to make a beeline for her.

_ "I could do unto you serious harm."  
"I know that, but come on, I need some experience. Y'know?" _

Lan pushed off against the floor, vaulting over Starfire's failed attack. She began a rapid ascent, hoping to evade. Too late, Lan crashed into her, his velocity sending them hurtling down a good twenty feet.

_ "They ain't gonna take it easy on me out there, just bruise me up a bit. Lemme get used to the feeling.  
"That is a…strange take on training." _

Starfire slammed into the floor, her eyes locked on Lan. Battle had brought out the predator in him, a bestial expression twisting his wild features. She could not help but feel a sense of pride run through her, it was the same look that had adorned Robin's face so many times before, the look of a warrior.

"_Eh, if you're gonna be beat might as well accept it." _

Had it all been an act? All to bring her here? To make her a subject on which to test his newfound power?

"Gotten better, have I?" He growled in his contorted voice. Starfire's eyes flashed a brilliant green, the identical lines catching Lan in the face. He grunted, his grip on her arms loosening. It was enough. Breaking free, Starfire dug her fist into his cheek, the skin rippling with the force.

"Slightly."

An exhilarating feel of satisfaction accompanied the blow.

The punch sent Lan hurtling, his limbs flailing like a rag doll before he slammed into the wall, the tiles cracking under the force. Rising smoothly to her feet, Starfire failed to suppress a smile. Fighting Lan was…strangely enjoyable. He was different from Robin, from Cyborg, he was reckless, almost stupid in his aggression.

_"Come on Star, whaddya say?" _

And suddenly, Starfire didn't _care_ that Lan had inexplicably grown in skill overnight. Worry, anxiety, it fell from her like a weight, leaving her free from restraint. The warrior, the fighter in her took hold, all she wanted, all that mattered was a fight.

Starfire's emerald irises were obscured by a green light, her clenched fists generating twin orbs of potent Starbolt energy.

All that mattered was beating Lan.

* * *

"The park?" 

Joining Raven under an ancient tree, Beast Boy rested his back against the gnarled bark, tugging absentmindedly at the dew laden grass.  
"Why the park?"  
"I didn't want to stay there, it…" Raven paused, as if bracing herself, "I just don't like it."  
"Oh," Beast Boy uprooted a particularly large patch of grass.

_ She's scared. She's afraid of that place. _

"Listen to me Beast Boy, this is important," Raven said, her voice lacked its monotonous droll, an underlying sense of urgency in her words, "what I show you tonight is for you and you _only_."

Beast Boy's eyebrow arched.

"I thought you talked to the others about this."  
"I've spoken with Robin, yes," Raven admitted, nodding slightly, "but…I think you deserve more. I think you should see."  
"See?"  
"Take off you glove."

Silently, Beast Boy obeyed, letting the garment drop to the grass. Raven closed her eyes gripping his exposed hand with unnecessary force. The changeling shuddered as a chill ran through his arm, spreading to numb his entire body.

The world began to dim, Beast Boy's surroundings slowly fading to black.

* * *

_ Spluttering, Raven emerged from the thick pool of mud, her body painted brown with the grime. _

"_Hellooo?" A familiar voice rang mockingly overhead. "Does the word 'decoy' mean anything to you?" _

_ Terra floated on a sizable chunk of rock, watching Raven wipe the sludge from her face with amusement. The geomancer's eyes had been stripped of their warmth, the light gone from her ice blue irises. Terra had been changed, warped by Slade. _

_ Mud rose into the air, forming into a crude set of stairs to accommodate her descent. _

_ "We had to find someway to coax you cowards out of hiding," her voice was harsh, cruel.  
"Terra," Raven growled.  
"Raven," she replied calmly, meeting her adversary's glare with a smirk. _

_ "Traitor." _

_ "Witch," Terra retorted, she seemed calm, collected, more so than she had ever been during her time as a Titan. _

_ "You know Raven," Terra said airily, stepping neatly onto the newly made island of stone, "I never liked you."  
"I never even wanted to know you." Raven spat contemptuously. "Everyone else believed you, but I always knew you were a liar." _

_ Terra's derisive laughter rang along the walls. _

_ "Is that why you let me live in your house, and steal all of your secrets and-"  
"SHUT UP!" Raven bellowed, she could feel herself losing control, her anger taking hold of her mind. _

_ Terra watched her former 'friend' fight against herself, her smirk widening. _

_ "Better be careful, Raven. Beast Boy told me all about your little temper tantrums."  
"Anger is pointless, my emotions are in control," the sorceress replied. It was a lie, they both knew it. _

_ Terra was winning. _

_ "Nyaa, nyaa, nyaa, anger is pointless," Terra echoed mockingly, "and you're calling **me **a liar?"  
"Shut up." _

_ "What stinks the most, Raven?" Terra continued mercilessly, pressing her advantage. "That I tricked you? That I nearly destroyed your team? That everyone like me better than you?   
_

_ "Stop it!" _

_ Terra relished the desperate cry. She had wanted this, more than anything else. To see Raven break.  
She crouched low, bringing her lips to Raven's ear. "Or is it that deep down, you really believed that I was your friend?"  
The sorceress lost control, an additional pair of eyes ripping themselves into her skull as her demon blood took the reigns. _

_ "TRAITOR!" Raven roared, her elongated body stretching over the churning mud after Terra's hasilty retreating form. "I TRUSTED YOU! WE TRUSTED YOU!" _

_ Under Terra's masterful control, the mud seized Raven, coming together to form multiple arms that restrained the infuriated sorceress.  
Raven struggled vainly against her bonds, the arms slowly pulling her back into the mud, "I'll kill you, I swear I will."  
"It's a little late for threats," Terra said, watching her creations drag Raven back into the mud with a sense of disappointment, "you should've done it when you had the chance."  
_

_ Raven could feel her rage fading, dulled by a mounting sense of despair. Her eyes returned to their violet hue as she sunk deeper into the pool.  
"It's funny, Rae, I thought you'd be stronger." Terra mused. Watching indifferently as the mud crept up the sides of Raven's face, stinging the corners of her eyes.  
"But you're just like the others." _

_ Tilting back, Raven took in as much air as her lungs would allow before inevitably, she submerged. _

_ "Weak."_

_

* * *

_  
The world returned in a vivid blur of color, seeming sharper, more real than it ever had before. The chill night air felt icy cold, the soft rustle of the trees a deafening roar. Beast Boy blinked rapidly, attempting to compensate for the rush of information streaming into his brain.

Raven, however, seemed completely unfazed by the process. She remained strangely silent, staring hard at the ground between them.  
"So," her voice was weak, a bare whisper, "now you know."  
"Rae," Beast Boy began, "I-"

"No," Raven cut him off, her voice cracking, "please…just -- just don't."

Beast Boy didn't listen. For the first time, he could see past the emotionless walls Raven enclosed herself in. The illusions of cold indifference were finally stripped away, leaving the sorceress naked, exposed. And for those few brief moments, Raven was no longer a distant, bitter sorceress. She was a person, a vulnerable, emotional human.

He reached up, cupping Raven's face in his hand. It was warm, so unlike the cold flesh he had envisioned in his fantasies. Quickly, she drew away from Beast Boy's touch, throwing her hood hastily over her head.  
"God, I feel so _stupid_," she muttered, tears flowed down from her obscured eyes to drip from her chin, wetting the already damp grass. Reliving that horrible day brought emotions Raven had thought buried to the surface. The pain of betrayal, it was too much to bear.

Raven shut her eyes, a sense of humiliation burning in the pit of her stomach. Shame at shedding tears, showing weakness.

A pair of arms wrapped about her waist, pulling her tightly against Beast Boy's body. She did not resist.

"It's okay, Rae," his breath rippled her hood. Raven grasped Beast Boy's hands allowing emotion to dominate her actions. For once, thought was a burden, all she knew was her friend's embrace.

"It's okay."

A/N: Wow… that….that uh, took longer than it should have. Sorry about that folks, but I've been having a bit of a block lately if you couldn't tell. I _finally_ added some of that mushy BB/Rae stuff you all are so fond of. Which means you can be sure you'll be seein' a lot more of it now that the relationships have been established and whatnot. Don't forget about what I said with the whole, Lan outfit thing. As always, reviews are welcome.


	9. An Unexpected Turn

A/N: Back, not much else to say.

* * *

"Thank _God_," Jinx groaned in relief, Jason's modest apartment a welcome sight. "I thought we'd never get out of there." 

"Aw, come on," Jason argued, tossing his coat carelessly to the floor, "it wasn't that bad."

"I think I've got lung cancer…" Jinx grumbled, flopping limply onto the couch, "you know that shit's gonna kill you, right?"

Jason chuckled, "look, it wasn't a total waste."

"Yes, yes it was," Jinx retorted, burying her face into the nearest pillow she could find, "we didn't get _anything _from that _Sean_."

"Get under your skin, did he?"

Jinx glowered at Jason, who smirked in return.

"All we got from him were a bunch of stories."

"Correction," Jason pulled open the refrigerator, sticking his head inside, "urban legends."

"Fine, _urban legends_ about some…Puppet Woman."

"The horror of the homeless! The bane of bums!" Jason called jokingly, the distinctive clink of bottles accompanying his voice.

Jinx rolled her eyes, "anyone can kill a couple of hobos."

"You speak from experience?"

"I don't kill," Jinx's hand curled instinctively, "not anymore."

"Well this Puppet Woman does, and not just a _couple_, the bitch's been cutting down bums in every city she's hit. That's gotta be a three figure number at the least."

"Don't tell me you believe it."

Jason laughed, "course I do. Completely plausible, ain't it?"

"According to Sean," Jinx added skeptically, "but the guy doesn't seem like the trustworthy type, does he?"

"Come on, don't tell me you're not a _little_ interested."

"Fine, I won't."

Jason groaned, "See? You've got the wrong outlook on this whole thing! You gotta keep it positive. The glass is half-full and whatnot."

"Yeah, I've got a _lot_ to be optimistic about," Jinx snapped angrily.

"Look, it's simple," Jason continued, ignoring her comment, "Puppet Gal finds herself a nice nest of bums and goes to town on 'em, right?"

"According to Sean."

"In every city she's ever been to, right?"

"According to Sean."

"Would you stop that?" Jason frowned. "Come on, work with me here."

"Fine, continue," Jinx replied moodily.

"So there's bound to be more records than just this. Slaughter like this just don't go unnoticed. Lemme make a few calls, check a few things, and I promise I'll find us a lead, yeah?"

Jinx shrugged, "just as long as your source is more reliable than Sean."

"They're reliable alright," Jason gave Jinx an odd grin, "real reliable."

* * *

Descending from the night sky, Raven landed with practiced grace. Her cloak billowing in the rush of air produced by the beating of powerful wings, a massive pterodactyl landing at her side. 

"So..." Raven began clumsily, watching the changeling warp into a more presentable form.

"Yeah..." Beast Buy rubbed nervously at his neck, averting his gaze.

It was awkward, to say the least.

"I...appreciate what you did for me," Raven admitted, brushing an errant strand of hair from her eyes, "you were right, I did need someone to talk to."

"Hey," Beast Boy grinned, "it's what I'm here for."

Despite herself, Raven smiled back.

_God,_ Beast Boy felt the beating of his heart quicken, _she's gorgeous when she smiles. _

"You won't tell anyone, right?"

"'Course not, our little secret." It was predictable, Raven had a reputation to keep, one that didn't involve crying in Beast Boy's arms.

Unexpectedly, the doors slid open, casting the pair in a wide beam of florescent light.

"_There_ you are!" Cyborg said relievedly. "You gotta get in here, somethin' big is up."

* * *

"Star, this is..._damn_." 

The alien hovered anxiously about Lan, concern apparent in her face as he draped the dark crimson jacket over his slight build. Streaks of black ran haphazardly through the red, resembling the almost web-like quality of broken glass. The sleeves bore the Titan emblem, the golden symbol shining proudly against the light.

"Please, I am not familiar with the 'damn' being used in such a manner. Do you like it?"

"Like it?" he did a slow turn, examining himself. "You have no idea how bitchin' this coat is."

"Friend Lan, I still do not understand what you are attempting to convey with profanity. Is the length incorrect?"

The teen chuckled.

"Everythin's fine, Star. This is amazin'." The hem ended near Lan's lower thigh, resembling a shortened trench coat.

Starfire gave a relieved sigh. A satisfied smile working its way across her face.

"I am glad you like it."

"Seriously," Lan flexed his hands, testing the flexibility of his onyx gloves, "you could do this for a livin'. You even got the pants right, nice and baggy."

"Fashion design is a career I hope to pursue when I am finished with crime fighting." Starfire said wistfully.

"What's all this made outta anyways? It's really light."

"It is similar to my own clothing." Starfire explained. "I have some spare materials from home. Here, try this on, please."

Lan cocked an eyebrow, letting the black article dangle at eye level. "A mask?"

"I am regretful that I did not choose one when designing my outfit." The Tamaranian sighed. "My decision to have an open identity has led to undesirable attention."

"Yeah?"

"Yes, I have a following that idolizes me to an unsettling degree."

"Unsettling degree?"

"Many women with...inappropriate proportions will imitate me at conventions of the socially awkward. I believe 'cosplay' is the term."

"That's not _so – _"

"I received a picture of a man wearing a poorly made duplicate of my outfit."

"...yikes." Lan pulled the mask over his face, it stopped beneath his nose, leaving his mouth uncovered. A mirror coating covered the red lenses worked into the mask, concealing the wearer's eye color.

"You did well tonight." Starfire unconsciously rubbed at long gash that ran the length of her arm. "I am impressed, to say the least."

Lan chuckled dryly.

"I do what I can."

_For like half an hour. _He added to himself. _Then you beat my ass raw. _

Starfire was out of his league. That enough was obvious. But the battle had been a struggle, her victory had been earned. Lan shut his eyes, recalling the spark of panic dancing in her vibrant irises every time he drew too near. To instill that split-second of fear in one so superior to himself, that was reward enough.

A siren screamed to life, blaring its deafening blast through the Tower.

Jerked from his reminisces, Lan clasped his hands over his ears. "The fuck is that?"

Unphased, Starfire headed for the door, beckoning Lan to follow.

"Something is wrong."

* * *

"Christ, how many?" Robin asked grimly, his eyes roaming over the city layout displayed on the monitor. 

"Thousands, I can't get an accurate reading." Cyborg indicated the swarm of red blips moving across the screen. "They're heading for the bridge."

"That's not like Slade." Robin's brow furrowed in thought. "It's too obvious."

"Maybe _that _has something to do with it." Raven suggested wryly, pointing to a much larger dot trudging through the city. "It's either Plasmus or Cinderblock. Overload's still in lockup."

"It's gotta be Cinderblock." Beast Boy reasoned. "Plasmus is an easy job for Raven."

"We can figure out what it is when we get there." Robin shut off the screen. "Move out. Except you, Lan. I want a word."

Robin waited until the others had vanished.

"Listen, this isn't exactly what I had in mind for your first run." The Boy Wonder said apologetically. "If you want to sit it out, I understand."

Lan grinned lopsidedly. "I gotta learn sometime, right?"

Robin beamed, clapping him on the shoulder.

"Just make sure you don't get more than you bargained for."

* * *

"Is it too late to go back to the Tower?" 

Levitated by Raven, Lan gaped at the mass below, thousands of mechanical soldiers moved in perfect synchronization, lead by the massive Cinderblock. They proceeded at a forebodingly gradual pace, each step sending tremors through the earth.

"Afraid so."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive," Raven replied dryly.

"'Cause I've got this thing about dying."

"We've dealt with Slade's machines before, they're simple to disable."

"And the big fella up in front?" Lan pointed out Cinderblock.

"...he is less easy to incapacitate."

"Wow, I _am _going to die," Lan muttered.

"Relax, you'll be fine," Raven said, "just remember what I taught you."

"...you haven't taught me anything yet."

Despite herself, the sorceress cracked a small smile.

"Exactly."

"Oh, funny, that's real funny," Lan muttered, "you don't like me, do you?"

"Really?" Raven muttered sarcastically.

Lan's reply was equally scathing, "Yeah, I kinda got the feelin' when you made me swear to obey you."

"I do expect you to keep your promise."

"Eh," Lan shrugged, "so long as you keep yours."

* * *

"RAGH!" 

Raising its massive arms, Cinderblock lumbered forward in a charge. Robin sprang agilely back, avoiding the stone fists that crashed down on his prior position. The enormous monstrosity had undergone a dramatic change, its normally gray exterior darkened to onyx. Vastly improved, the new Cinderblock was virtually impervious.

"This isn't working!" Robin snarled into the microphone connected to his earpiece. "We need to regroup!"

"For the last time, I'm _tryin_'!" Cyborg boomed, issuing a blast from his arm cannon. The concentrated sonic energy tore through an approaching group of artificial soldiers, reducing them to scraps. "There's just to many of 'em! I can't get through!"

Battling against Cinderblock and the massive army Slade had unleashed was proving difficult. Their combined forces effectively divided the Titans, isolating them from one another in a sea of foes.

"One goes down, two more pop up!" Beast Boy's thin form rapidly grew, sprouting into the muscular build of a gorilla. Giving a primal roar, he barreled into the teeming mass of robots, tearing them apart. "This is crazy!"

"Starfire!" Robin cursed as an explosive disc thudded ineffectively into Cinderblock, the detonation failing to so much as hinder it. "What can you see?"

Starfire strafed back and forth in the air, peppering the ground with starbolts.

"Our attempts are unsuccessful! They are still moving to the bridge!"

"I think I could break through!" Streaking through blaster fire, Lan cut through wave after wave of opposition. His hands, augmented by a crimson glow sheared the robots apart, tearing metal like paper. "But it won't do much good if I can't find any of you!"

"Don't!" Cyborg advised. "You'll get yourself killed!"

"If this keeps up I'm gonna die anyways!" Lan shot back. "Better to burn out than fade away, right?"

"Burn out..." Robin echoed, his eyes flicked upwards, lighting on Raven. "That's it! Raven!"

"What?" The sorceress, away from the racket below did not need to yell.

"Use the bus!" Robin rolled away from the relentless Cinderblock, managing to escape a lethal swing.

Raven glanced at the several ton transport hovering above her head.

"...I was about to."

"No! I mean just set it down in the middle of them! On its top!"

"Alright..." Puzzled, Raven set the vehicle down amidst the ever moving mass of machines, they ignored it, moving around the obstacle like ants to a stick.

"Starfire! Remember what Cyborg taught you about gas?"

"Yes...but I do not see how that – oh!" Catching on, the Tamaranian set her fist alight with green, sending an orb of starbolt energy into the underside of the bus.

The deafening explosion erupted in all directions, a wave of fire billowing over everything in its destructive path. The robots stood little chance against the intense heat, their burning frames collapsing.

Including the cars parked alongside the street. The chain effect was enough to carry the explosion down the length of road.

"Shit!" Catching sight of the oncoming flames, an airborne Lan caught hold of a streetlight, using the momentum to swing himself into a nearby alley.

"Warn me before you do that!" Landing in a crouch, Lan watched the wall of flame tear past, charring the robots.

"Sorry," Robin replied apologetically, "everyone alright?"

"My body handled the explosion," Cyborg said, sounding very relieved the fight was over with, "so I'm cool."

"Everythings alright on this end," Beast Boy said, "but a little heads-up would've been nice, barely had time to fly outta the way."

"Starfire? Raven?"

"You know we're fine," Raven drolled in her usual monotone, "we were well out of range."

"Just making sure." Robin gave the two specks above him a wave.

"Er..." Lan cut in, "_we_ don't have to clean this up, right?"

* * *

"In position." 

Under the cover of late night, Slade stood ready at the Titans main entrance. They had taken the bait, as expected. He smiled dryly, people of morality were such simple, predictable creatures.

A bust of static crackled in Slade's earpiece.

"I'm not so sure about the 'surprise' you've lain out for the Titans," Marionette said, "should they not survive, I will be _very _disappointed."

"They will live, rest assured." Slade replied nonchalantly. "Gizmo, proceed."

"Alright, you're gonna see a security keypad somewhere." The technology genius responded.

He found it quickly enough, approaching it.

"What now?"

"Enter code nine, four, seven, zero, six, one, three, nine, two."

"How do you know that?" Slade demanded, punching in the series of numbers. The keypad gave a single beep, and the doors retracted.

"I got more outta Tinman than just his motor functions when I hacked him." Gizmo replied proudly.

"Clever." Slade commented dryly, stepping into the empty Tower. "This will grant me access?"

"Naw, the Tower thinks you're a Titan since you know the code, so it's droppin' some security."

"And that would be?"

"You won't have to go through none of the trip grids."

"I'm already in the vents." Marionette's voice came through the line. "Why do we need the virus?"

"'Cause." Gizmo sneered. "The front door isn't the only one with a lock, and I'm willin' to bet Tinman's got a few surprises for anyone who ain't a guest."

"The cameras," Slade eyed the security measures warily, he didn't recognized the model, "why aren't they moving?"

"He's got the whole place on a timer. The Tower is in some sort of conservation mode."

"Electricity is cut off from the cameras?"

"No, these are custom made." Gizmo explained. "They still run, but no rotation at night."

"And you expect me to avoid all of them?" Slade said irritatedly.

"No, that's what Marionette's taking care of. Tinman's trying to save power, so he only has the cameras workin' in important places. She should be able to upload the virus pretty easy."

As if on cue, Slade's partner cut in.

"I'm here."

"Why haven't you proceeded?"

"I...found something." Marionette replied, she seemed distracted. "Something interesting."

Slade raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing." Marionette sounded pleased, almost excited. "Nothing at _all_."

* * *

A/N: Alright guys, I'm really sorry about how long it's taken me to update. The whole Perfect Deceit thing sorta slipped my mind as I've been writing whatever pops into my head recently. Hence the one-shot I whipped up. Go check it out, I think you'll like it. R&R. 


	10. Smile

A/N: Good _God_, I checked out Flogging Molly on May 27'th (been a fan for a long time). The mosh pit was just about the coolest thing ever, screamed myself hoarse. The best part? I got the pit pass for free, my friend had an extra. Alright, I...er...apologize for the super late update. (Hey! That rhymes) Between volunteer work, fencing, and friends time for writing has been kinda scarce this summer.

* * *

The shower door shutting with a click, Lan pulled a fresh shirt over his head. He stared at his reflection, the mirror image barely visible through the white film of moisture spread across the glassy surface. He grinned at the bruises that covered his body, the discolored patches peppering his skin in startling number. 

"I'm not there yet," snatching his necklace from the sink counter, Lan gazed at the crescent ivory, watching it sway gently back and forth, "but a Titan ain't a bad start."

But there was still a long way to go if _that_ dream would ever come to fruition. A long way indeed. Lan laughed humorlessly, he had almost forgotten it. But now...now it was all he could think about.

Lan's arms ached in protest as he fastened the accessory around his neck. He froze halfway through the task, stilling his own breathing.

_No..._

A noise Lan hadn't heard for a long, long time passed faintly through the door. The barely audible, synthetic ringing of a phone.

"Fuck!"

Lan nearly tore the door from its hinges. Bolting for the worn, tattered jacket crumpled next to the nightstand. Hastily, he delved into the left hand pocket, producing an old, outdated cellphone.

Lan inhaled sharply, his eyes flicking over the display screen: Jessica.

_It's her. _

Accepting the call, he moved the phone slowly to his ear, licking at dry lips.

"Bitch," he said by way of greeting.

"Hello to you too," a cool female voice said, "hows my favorite little psychopath?"

"Shut it," Lan replied coldly, "the fuck do you want?"

She groaned exasperatedly. Lan could almost see her pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Bloody hell," she muttered, her smooth English accent becoming disgruntled, "You're still angry with me?"

"You're surprised?"

"It's been six years!"

"_Seven_," Lan countered, "I've been countin'."

She laughed, it was different, darker than the lighthearted titter he remembered.

"Bitter, eh?"

"Very."

"Well, this is nostalgic. How you holding up?"

"Survivin'," Lan snarled fiercely.

Jessica gave an exasperated sigh.

"You still can't forget, can you?"

Lan's grip on the phone tightened.

"I'll find you, and when I – "

"Yes, yes, I know. But don't get your hopes up, things have changed since you were last here. We're...well, we're _organized_."

"Wonderful."

"Oh I _know_, we've made quite the turnaround. It's hard to believe but it's almost become important to me."

"More important than Alice?"

Jessica's stunned silence rang louder than any words could.

"We're back to that, are we?"

"Yes, we are." Lan shot scathingly.

Jessica sighed softly. "The dreams?"

"Every night." Lan's voice rose. "I have to do it again and again and _again_."

"I don't suppose you've gotten used to it?"

"You're sick," Lan bit his lip until he drew blood, "you need fuckin' help."

"I'msick?" Jessica laughed. "Coming from a crazy like you I'm not exactly insulted."

"You shut your goddamn mouth," Lan snapped sharply, "I left that...that place a long time ago."

"Well, funny thing actually, that's why I'm calling." Lan's hands clenched, his knuckles white with the force.

"An associate's come across something _very _interesting."

"That right?"

"Oh, yes. I'm disappointed Lan, using those children as shields."

Lan felt his heart skip a beat, blood running chill.

"...what?"

"You should have listened, stayed in the asylum, we've finally _found _you."

Lan muled over the possibility that she was lying. "They've sent someone?"

"Don't give me that shit, you know the routine. You need to get out, _now_."

Help? Then this wasn't just a taunt. "You're warning me," Lan demanded, slightly incredulous. Jessica wanted him dead as much as the rest. "why?"

"Because I want it to stop, Lan, I'm tired of this and I just want it to be _over _with." Jessica's voice took on a malicious edge. "Survive, find me and we can finally end this."

A brief click followed by the dial tone.

"Bitch." Dropping the phone carelessly, Lan collapsed onto the bed.

_Three hundred thousand. _He thought numbly. _Three fuckin' hundred thousand_.

_But Jessica don't want me for the money. _Lan smiled bitterly, the real prize far outweighed any price they could offer her. He was a relic, a constant reminder. And he knew Jessica couldn't stand that there was one last tether tying her to the life she had left so long ago.

_She just wants to forget. _The sad truth of it was that for all their differences, they wanted the same thing.

_Just like me._

_

* * *

_

"_Every _room?"

Gizmo grinned cockily, his fingers working masterfully over the keyboard. The screen flashed, changing from one image to another in rapid succession.

"Even the basement," he replied, obviously pleased with his work.

"The virus was terminated," Marionette said, eying Gizmo skeptically, "how do we have access?"

"I programmed it to destroy certain protocols. With those internal security measures dropped I can get in easy," he replied with a shrug, "simple stuff."

"They don't realize what you've done?" Slade hung in the shadows, his voice echoing in the unsettlingly empty room.

"The protocols've been erased completely from the Tower. The system doesn't even know it should have them."

"The entire construct at our fingertips," Marionette whispered, "excellent."

Slade watched his partner intently, however subtle, he found her posture stiffer, more tense than usual. He recalled their infiltration of the Tower, replaying her voice once more in his head.

_Oh, nothing. Nothing at _all.

The Titans had an addition to compensate for Terra's loss. The new member bringing their numbers to an even six. And she was intrigued, her interest running far beyond professional boundaries.

"Tell me," Marionette directed her attention towards Slade, "what do we know about this newcomer?"

"Little," he replied dryly, "there's no mention of him in my archives."

"Mmm...a nobody then," Marionette mused.

"Perhaps," Slade stepped forward, standing at her side, "but Robin has an eye for talent. This one could prove a hindrance to the preparations."

"Or he could be a useful asset," Marionette said, "but we must act quickly."

"Patience," Slade cautioned, "we have time. This newcomer must be observed, understood."

"You put too much in a single boy," Marionette spat contemptuously, "he is nothing."

"So was Terra."

* * *

_"Alice?"_

_The call went unanswered, echoing about the manor into silence. The quiet was horrifying, sending waves of panic through already shaking limbs. Rain water dribbled from Lan's thoroughly drenched clothes, creating miniature puddles on the otherwise spotless tiles._

Oh God._ He reached up, grabbing a fistful of short hair. _They didn't.

_There was no need to make assumptions, jump to wild conclusions. _She doesn't always hear me_. Lan reasoned. _She doesn't always answer. Don't panic. Don't panic. Don't panic.

_Slowly, painfully hesitant, Lan began to walk. His footsteps ringing horribly in the deathly quiet. The black and white checkered tiles seemed to stretch on forever, carrying the staircase further away with each step. _

_It felt as if hours had passed before Lan felt his hand brush the cold railing, his foot resting on the first wide stair. _

_"Up, go up," he shut his eyes willing himself up the stairs. Every fiber in his being screamed in protest, pleading with him to turn, to run. _

Don't panic.

_A third step._

Don't panic.

_A fourth step._

Don't panic.

_A fifth. _

Don't panic.

_Sixth._

Don't panic.

_Twelfth. _

Don't panic.

_Fifteenth._

Don't panic.

_Twenty-second. _

_Lan opened his eyes, finding himself staring down an impossibly long hall. He ignored the slew of identical doors that lined the corridor, his vision fixed on a single room at the end._

_"Alice?" _

_"Miss Bathory isn't here."_

_A deafening bang. _

Lan bolted upright, his vision blurring in and out of focus under the sun's glare.

_Just a dream._ It had always been just that. _Just a dream._ Seven years of telling himself that it was all fake, just a bad memory from days long past.

It hadn't worked then, and it wasn't working now.

Lan buried his face into his hands, a very familiar sensation burning at the corners of his eyes.

"Smile," he wasn't going to cry, "smile," everything was fine, "smile," there was nothing to whine, to angst about, "smile."

His lips twitched slightly.

"_Smile._" Pain? What pain? "_Smile._" Anger? None here. "_Smile_."

Lan dug his nails into his face, clenching his eyes ever tighter.

"_Smile, smile, smile, smile, smile, SMILE._"

* * *

Jinx glared at Jason incredulously, her lips slightly parted. This was impossible, he had to be joking. 

"...the Titans," she breathed, the sheer idiocy of his proposal painful to comprehend.

"Aw – damn it, see, I knew this was gonna happen," Jason groaned, his eyes rolling in exasperation.

"The _Titans_."

"I heard you the first time," a lighter sparked to life in his hands, the flame heading steadily towards the cigarette clenched firmly between his teeth.

"Jason," she reached across the table, plucking the unlit tobacco from his lips. It was enough to garner his serious attention. He raised his gaze away from the floor, making grudging eye contact, "this isn't a joke?"

"Course not," he sighed, leaning back in his chair, "Robin's got dossiers on practically _every _villain, local to international. If anyones gonna know about our Puppet friend it'll be him."

"But...I don't have to come, right?" Jinx asked hopefully. She wasn't about to walk into the Tower, disguise or not.

"Normally, no. But this isn't exactly a normal case," Jason said.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Usually _I'm _the one giving them the information. Robin's got a strict policy on helping me with other clients," Jason gave Jinx a apologetic smile, "considering who they are, can't say I blame him."

"So where does this leave me?"

"You need to come as Sarah," Jason said flatly, "I need to convince Robin that giving me what I need won't do no harm."

"What if he reads into it?" Jinx asked.

"He won't," Jason stated, "I provide him with information and he doesn't ask questions about my business or who I do it with. It's all part of our agreement."

"What about Raven?" Jinx inquired. "She'll know it's me."

"Please," Jason snorted, "I think she's got a too much tact to go digging through your head."

She frowned at the effortless dismissal of her last excuse. "You're sure there's no other way?"

"This is all we've got, Jinx, nothing else."

"Damn," she frowned, grabbing a fistful of hair, "dying all this is a bitch."

"Heh," Jason gave her an oddly genuine smile, taking back his cigarette, "I think it looks nice."

* * *

Draining her mug down to the last dregs of tea, Raven stared at the soggy leaves, fingers tapping against the kitchen island. 

"I shouldn't be feeling this," she muttered dryly.

It was...irksome, to find that despite her precautions, emotion had managed to so easily bypass all her preparations. Raven had never been one to condone ignorance, and her own denial was no exception. As hard as it was to accept, the feelings she denounced, even abhorred were beginning to stir. The first symptom was the rousing of her personalities, each facet voicing their own unique opinion.

She had managed to quiet them, save one particularly strong emotion.

_Why not?_ Raven grimaced as Affection spoke.

"You know as well as I do, feelings likes these could lead to dangerous results."

_Is the risk any reason to miss out on one of life's greatest joys?_

"Greatest joys," Raven snorted, "it's all over-romanticized by the ignorant masses."

_Or under appreciated by a jaded minority. _Affection retorted. _Who're you to judge love?_

"It's _not_, no one as young as I am knows what that is," Raven understood that she was too immature, too undeveloped to feel true love.

_Call it what you want, but you can't deny that your relationship with Beast Boy has changed. _

"I never did."

"Never did what?"

Raven jumped, nearly scalding herself as tea splashed messily over the island. Swiveling about, she found Lan staring at her quizzically.

"Woah," he grinned, the expression failing to reach his tired eyes, "you alright?"

"I was," Raven replied coldly, sliding off the stool.

"Someones a little pissy, this mornin'," Lan commented, eyebrows raised curiously.

"I'm on three hours of sleep, I haven't had a chance to meditate, and _now_ – " she gestured to the puddle, annoyance apparent in her voice, "I've spilled my tea."

"Sorry," Lan grumbled, clambering onto the nearest stool, "didn't mean to scare ya."

"You didn't, you _startled _me."

"Ah," Lan chuckled, "my mistake."

Raven looked up from the roll of paper towels. He looked exhausted. "Rough night, I hope?"

"Heh," Lan chuckled dryly, "it's that bad?"

"You look horrible," she said with some satisfaction, mopping up the now cold tea, "when'd you get to bed?"

"Two? Three?" Lan ran a hand over his face, lingering on his eyes.

"...it's almost noon," Raven scoffed.

She watched his smile fade. "It wasn't very restful."

Again, the faint pulse of something darker reverberated through the room. Raven made no outward display she had noticed it, continuing to wipe away the tea. "Bad dreams?"

"Is that concern I hear?" Lan smiled.

"Wishful thinking," Raven shot.

"Oh, come on," Lan sighed, his eyes lifting towards the ceiling, "I know we ain't friends, but _fuck_."

"I hardly consider you a teammate," Raven grabbed the kettle with a snort, pouring herself a fresh cup.

"Aw, come _on, _Rae," Lan persisted, "we've talked, haven't we?"

Raven put the mug down with unnecessary force. Why was he so set on being friendly? She didn't understand, and the lack of perspective was irritating. "What is wrongwith you?"

"Sorry?" Lan asked, confused.

"Don't give me that." Raven snapped harshly. "You know exactly what I mean."

"Er...no," Lan replied, looking very puzzled, "can't say I do."

"I have been an absolutely insufferable _bitch _to you since the moment you got here," Raven's face crinkled into an ugly sneer, "and you haven't done so much as raise your voice at me."

"Now that ain't fair," Lan protested, "I haven't been exactly pleasant."

"It's not enough," and it wasn't, not for Raven, "you don't hate me. _Why_?"

"Well, shit. 'S 'cause you're interestin'." Lan shrugged. "Don't wanna decide how I feel just yet."

"Interesting," Raven echoed incredulously.

"Yeah, I know you don't like me – "

"No, I very much don't," Raven said, turning away from Lan in a very final motion.

A few minutes were spent in tense silence, time the sorceress used sip agitatedly at her tea. It was impossibly frustrating to hold so much disdain for someone who failed to give her the satisfaction of fighting back.

"What was Terra like?"

Dark energy sent a web of cracks through the mug, shattering the clay into countless shards.

"What?" Mind flying, she rounded on him, had Robin told him? _Warned_ him about her suspicions?

"I..." Lan faltered under Raven's piercing glare, "I know what happened with her. Shit who doesn't? Is that why – "

With a furious motion of her arm, Raven sent Lan into the wall, his head slamming against the metal with an unpleasant crack.

She held him there, eyes aglow with indignant fury.

"_Never _talk about her," with intimidating gradualness, she levitated towards him, "not to me, not the Robin, not to _anyone_. If you do I swear I will take you apart. Do you understand?"

Lan nodded, understanding he was in no position to argue.

"My room, eight tonight," Raven snarled, releasing Lan from his bonds.

Black energy in the form of a massive bird rose up from the ground, the massive wings enveloping the sorceress. It dissipated, Raven along with it.

"It's time you began your training."


	11. Mutual Benefits

A/N: Alright, I've been gone for ages and I feel kinda bad for letting you guys hang so long for just one chapter. I've been preoccupied with a lot of stuff (fencing, tennis, fixing my shin splints so I can finally start jogging again) that hasn't really left a lot of room for writing Perfect Deceit. On the plus side, I think these months have really helped me improve as a writer, or at least, given me a new style to experiment with. Oh, and I've always tried to make it a point to never have an OC hog the limelight, and...I haven't really been succeeding, so this chapter's more Raven oriented. Enjoy!

Carried on a mixture of anger and frustration, Raven's left fist dug into the punching bag with a hollow thud. Her smooth, rapid blows sent the bag into a rhythmic, circular swing. She moved with the bag, continuously counting her steps as she repeated them in unending repetition. It was refreshing to have a second, decidedly more physical outlet for her emotions. It was no meditation, but there was something to be said in sheer exhaustion diluting her anger.

"Stupid! So damn_ stupid_!" Raven muttered through clenched teeth as she dug into the canvas with a vicious hook.

_Are you surprised? You made it painfully obvious. _Wisdom chided.

"I never mentioned Terra!" sweat trickled down her face, the occasional drop leaving a salty taste on her lips, "I _never _mentioned Terra."

_Regardless, Lan made the connection. Our pawn isn't stupid._

"He just pretends to be," the chain suspending the punching bag rattled out of time with her punches, "lying little bastard."

_Deceitful as he is, I would remind you to keep your feelings in check. He hasn't done anything, not yet._

"But he isn't like us," too absorbed in her own thoughts, Raven failed to notice just how animated the chain had become, "I can feel it."

_There is a certain...malevolence that I will give you. _Wisdom concurred thoughtfully. _But we all have our dark sides, you of all people should know that. Perhaps..._

Raven broke her routine in favor of a hard roundhouse, "what?"

_Perhaps this is simply who he is. _

"No. There's something _there_, and I'll prove it."

_Oh?_

"The feeling's grown, it's definitely there now. All I need to do is bring it to the surface, show the others the _real _Lan and he'll be exposed for what he is."

_I thought we agreed that controlling him was sufficient. _

"It was."

_Was?_

"I've seen him in the gym with Starfire, he's growing faster than he should. Controlling him might not be an option in – "

Razors of black energy cut Raven short as they lanced through the rupturing canvas, sand scattering haphazardly across the room. A stray bolt lashed across her skin, droplets of blood staining the white-tiled floor. "Shit!" She drew back and grimaced at the blood seeping from her wound. "Damn it," abruptly, a warm hand perched on her shoulder.

"Rae?"

Startled, she whirled about to find a familiar green face staring concernedly back, "Beast Boy," she breathed sharply, failing to bring her voice to its usual indifference.

"Your arm," stepping forward the changeling took Raven's forearm, examining the gash, "oh man, that's pretty deep."

His reaction was predictable, but strangely welcome. "I'm fine," Raven shuddered, his hands were warm, even through the gloves.

"You're lying," Beast Boy's eyes flicked upwards to the punching bag's marred remains, "what happened?"

"An accident," Raven replied with a pained grimace, "apparently I'm not as centered as I thought." She moved a hand over the cut, murmuring unintelligibly under her breath. The bleeding ceased, but the laceration remained unchanged.

"It's not healed," Beast Boy stated, slightly perturbed.

"No," Raven began irately, "no it's not. I'm off today."

"Then let me patch it up," Beast Boy offered as pointed over his shoulder, "the infirmary's just down the hall."

"I...thanks, but I'm fine."

"C'mon, Rae." Beast Boy's eyes widened in their sockets as his lower lip pursed outward. "Please?"

She sighed, wiping the sweat from her face, "if it'll get you to stop with the puppy dog eyes."

"'Atta girl," Beast Boy grinned, stalking out of the gym with Raven in tow. Ever paranoid, Robin had commissioned Cyborg to build multiple infirmaries throughout the Tower, most of which had seen little use. "Lesse," the changeling murmured as he stepped over the threshold, "I don't think I've ever been in this one before."

"I don't think I've ever been in _any _of these," Raven frowned at the interior, the stark white glaringly bright against the florescent lights overhead.

"They're all pretty much identical," Beast Boy replied absently as he rummaged through the nearest cabinet, "Cy told me he stocks them all with the same stuff. So if I remember right the bandages should be..._aha_."

He straightened, a roll of bandages and a small bottle clutched in his hands. "now if you'd be so kind_," _he flashed a toothy grin, gesturing towards one of the beds, "Dr. Beast Boy can begin his work."

"...right," Raven said dryly, failing to suppress a smile as she seated herself on the edge.

"You should smile more," taking her arm gently by the wrist, the changeling bit down on the bottle's top and yanked it off, "it's nice when you smile," Beast Boy pressed down on the nozzle and with a faint hiss, the bottle released a fine spray of mist, oddly cold as it settled onto her wound.

"I only smile when I feel like it," Raven deadpanned as the disinfectant took effect and began stinging unpleasantly.

"I wish you'd feel like it more often," Beast Boy said, removing his gloves and taking up the bandages. He began to dress the cut, wrapping the gauze-like fabric around her skin in a smooth, continuous motion. "So, what's bothering you?"

"Nothing," Raven replied quickly, "I'm fine."

"Right, that punching bag was on purpose," Beast Boy replied as he fixed her with a skeptical look.

She gave a sigh and her eyes rolled upwards, "okay, maybe I'm a little out of it today."

"What you are is _stressed_," Beast Boy reached up, his hand moving gently over her neck, "your muscles are way too tense."

"You can tell?" Raven quirked an eyebrow, unconsciously feeling the spot he had touched.

"I learned a lot in the Doom Patrol," he commented offhandedly, "seriously, Rae, you need to unwind, I can't remember the last time you left the Tower to do – well, anything really."

"I go out," Raven protested, "I went to a poetry reading on – " she stopped short, "Halloween."

"And that was how many months ago?"

"Okay, maybe I don't get out a lot," she conceded grudgingly.

"I can fix that," Beast Boy took the bandages between his teeth, severing the end from the roll.

"Is that right?"

"You doubt moi?" He asked with mock hurt in his voice. "Well now we _have _to go out tonight."

"Out?" Raven echoed.

"Out," Beast Boy ran a hand along the length of the dressing as he inspected his work with a scrutinizing eye, "there's a whole city out there, in case you haven't noticed."

"And what would we do on this – " Raven caught herself not a moment too soon, "...outing?"

"It's up to you, Rae," Beast Boy replied with an aloof shrug, "whatever you want."

An eruption of voices spilled into Raven's psyche. _Date, date, date. _"...alright."

_Date, date, date, date. _

"Cool," Beast Boy pulled on his gloves as he glanced at the clock on the far wall, "nine sound good?"

_Date, date, date, date, date. _"Yeah...yeah that'll work."

"Nine it is, see you then," and with that, the changeling was gone, the doors hissing shut behind him.

Raven exhaled sharply, looking down at her bandaged cut, "I shouldn't be feeling this," she uttered, straining each syllable in a steady chant, "I shouldn't be feeling this, I shouldn't be feeling this, I shouldn't be feeling this."

_DATE, DATE, DATE, DATE, DATE, DATE, DATE._

* * *

It was not yet Winter in Jump City, but it was beginning to look less and less like Autumn. The two forces encircled one another, their traits clashing in a seasonal twilight. Bitter winds blew at leaves not yet ready to leave their branches, still golden with the memory of a passing Fall. The sun peeked in and out of the clouds to create spots of light that faded away as the stretch of gray moved unendingly towards the horizon. 

Lan stared vacantly at the pigeons gathering at his feet, finding the park a very depressing place to be.

"Not exactly the best day I've had," he muttered sullenly as he allowed himself to slide further down the bench, the throbbing in the back of his skull serving as a constant reminder of the morning's events. The chance had been too welcoming, too tempting to simply pass up, and for his risk, Lan had been rewarded with an answer. Indirect, painful, but an answer all the same.

Terra.

Lan was beginning to see that his predecessor's betrayal had left a scar, and for Raven it had yet to fade. For reasons beyond him he was being associated with the traitor, and that irked him to no end.

"Piss off," a single bolt sprang from his fingertip into the birds midst, they took to the sky, their disgruntled warbles mingling in the dreary air. A tinge of jealousy flickered inside him as he watched them flock through the sky in a disorganized mob.

They were free.

_We've finally found you._ Jessica's words nagged in the back of his head and a very familiar notion crossed his mind. For all his running, all his cowardice, what did he have to show for it? Not freedom, surely. He curled his fingers inward, stiff in the bitter Fall air.

Lan had never been free.

It was ironic in a way, to escape captivity only to find a second cage, grated by his own fear and paranoia. Lan wondered if it was time to slip away and find another city to disappear into, there was a second option in his teammates, but that would mean telling the truth.

Something Lan wasn't sure he could do. With a breath he reached into his pocket and pulled out his cellphone.

_I got them involved._ His thumb dug into the '9' key. _I shouldn't get anyone involved. _Bringing the phone to his ear Lan counted off the beats between each ring. Five, she always answered after five.

And she did.

Lan felt the familiar sensation of fear spark within him as the other end registered. It didn't matter that Jessica was somewhere far away, to Lan she was still right there. On the bench, on his shoulder, "I was wondering when you'd crack," her cool, wicked voice flitted into his ear, "you could never let anything go."

The birds – for reasons unknown – returned, cocking their heads inquisitively at Lan as he swallowed his pride, "don't hurt them."

"...what?"

"Don't hurt them," he grimaced at the pleading in his voice. It was supposed to be an order, a _demand_.

"Don't – " she broke off with a laugh, "don't _hurt _them?"

"Please?"

More laughter. "_Please_? Jesus, Lan – you don't beg."

"First time for everything," he replied quietly.

"Why? Are they your friends?" Jessica's voice dripped with contempt. "Do you _care _about them? I thought we beat that shit out of you."

"They were just trying to help. Jessica – " Lan's brow furrowed as he shut his eyes, "_Jess_. Let them live."

"Oh," a disbelieving laugh ran into his ear, "you didn't just call me that."

"Jess, _please_."

"Nuh-uh, it's too late for old nicknames, they're in. Not a thing you can do to change it."

"But – "

"Look at it this way, Lan: after Alice," an undertone of spite ran beneath Jessica's voice, "what's losing another friend or two?"

Dial tone.

* * *

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Raising an apprehensive hand to the door, Raven's eyes lighted on Starfire's name, worked in with letters of lighter grey. She wondered if this would constitute as the 'girl talk' she so avidly despised, Starfire would certainly take it as such. And as much as Raven dreaded it, there really was no other choice. Unless of course, she wanted to go out looking like – she glanced down at her leotard-clad form with a grimace – _ this_.

With a resigned sigh, she knocked, "I'm going to regret this."

A brief silence, trailed by Starfire's airy, cheerful voice,"who is there, please?"

"Me."

A pause, "friend Raven?" she sounded...surprised, almost unbelieving.

"Yeah. Look, is this a bad time?" _Please, please, _please_ be a bad time._ "'Cause I can come back if – "

"Oh no, friend Raven! I would never think of turning you away! I am just – " Starfire's muffled voice gained clarity as the door slid open, revealing Raven's teammate in her usual radiance, "surprised you would come to my room." Starfire stepped back and gestured for Raven to enter with a warm smile, "please, what is the nature of your visit?"

"I need advice," Raven began hesitantly.

"Advice?" Starfire echoed as she shut the door.

"Or..._help_,rather."

"I do not understand," Starfire cocked her head inquisitively, "with what do you require aid?"

"I – well it's...I kinda have this thing that – " Raven let out an exasperated groan, pinching the bridge of her nose irately, "sorry, this is just a little...weird."

"Do not be embarrassed, friend," Starfire offered Raven an understanding smile, "I will help if I can."

"Promise you won't tell anyone?"

"By the Tamaranian moons," Starfire nodded, "your secret is secure with me."

"Alright," Raven pulled her hood over her eyes before letting a steady breath slip past her lips, "Beast Boy asked me to go out tonight and I – "

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Instantly Raven was swept up by a pair of deceptively powerful arms, "Beast Boy has asked to share with you the Earth ritual of adolescent affection! A DATE!" Starfire gave a squeal as she twirled Raven about the room in a dangerously tight bear-hug, "I am ecstatic!"

"It is _not _a date," she cringed as her ribs contracted under Starfire's inhuman embrace, "and you're crushing me..."

"Oh!" Raven was promptly set down by the beaming alien. "Forgive me, I am simply excited for you! At long last you will have the 'social life' that I have read so much about!"

"Yeah..." the sorceress winced at her bruised sides, "thanks."

"Tell me, friend, how may I lend aid?" Starfire asked as she zipped enthusiastically about Raven.

"I...kinda don't know what to wear," she watched her teammate tilt forward in a playful flip, "any chance you'd help me?"

Starfire righted herself before taking Raven by the hand. "Of course, friend!I have collected numerous garments during my trips to the Earth malls!" Starfire darted away with her friend in tow. "Come, I will show you!"

An assortment of painfully bright colors assaulted Raven's eyes as she was dragged into the Tamaranian's walk-in closet, row upon row of designer clothes surrounding the sorceress on all sides. "Wow."

"I will admit that I have perhaps – " Starfire frowned thoughtfully, "overindulged myself. But now you are sure to find something!" She brightened at the thought. "Come, I shall take you to my older clothes."

"Older?"

"I was shorter then, they will be an undoubtedly better fit," true to her heritage, Starfire was – by Earth standards at least – abnormally tall, dwarfing all but Cyborg in height. Mercifully, their trek through the seemingly endless closet came to an end as they met their own reflections in a dusty, wall spanning mirror.

"It has been some time, but I am sure I can find you something here," taking Raven by the shoulders, Starfire planted her squarely in front of the glass, "am I right in assuming you would prefer something...quieter than my usual clothing?"

Raven blinked, "...yeah, actually."

"Is this date formal?" Starfire inquired as she dug through a collection of jeans.

"Casual, and it's _not _a date."

"Of course," Starfire agreed as she turned back to stare at Raven's legs, "hm."

"What?"

"Oh, nothing," was the vague reply as Starfire took a pair of faded jeans from the rack, "try this on, please."

Pants in hand, Raven turned to the mirror, suddenly very self-conscious.

Nine o'clock couldn't come soon enough.

* * *

Compulsively, Raven ran a hand across her thighs as she stalked awkwardly down the Tower corridors, feeling oddly naked with her legs covered by a pair of ripped, faded jeans. The black long-sleeve that had replaced her traditional leotard felt indescribably foreign against her skin, so accustomed to latex. But despite all the faults she could find, Raven reflected on just how pleased she had been with her image in Starfire's closet. And if it was only for one night, maybe she could stand to look like a civilian. 

"Rae?" Drifting around the bend, Lan's voice brought Raven back to the present. Taking a few tentative steps forward, she found Lan with his head lowered in a gesture of exasperation as he rapped on her door.

"C'mon, you told me eight, and it's _eight_."

Raven watched her empty room yield no reply.

"You're not still mad, are you?" Lan felt the back of his skull gingerly. The past few hours had allowed a sizable lump to present itself, mercifully concealed by his tangles of hair. "I know you're in there, I've searched the whole damn Tower." He stared intently at the door, almost expecting it to talk back. "So you're either sleeping, dead, or just being – "

"A bitch?" Raven watched with decided satisfaction as her pupil stiffened before slumping forward in a sigh.

"I was going for 'pissy', but that'll work to," Raven watched him turn and take her in with surprise, "you look..." he blinked, eyes following the vague design of silver spirals and vines from shoulder to stomach, "normal."

"I'm flattered," she brushed past and reached for the pad integrated with the wall, "where've you been?" She pressed her hand against the scanner and the door slid back with a brief hiss.

"The park," Lan replied offhandedly.

Abruptly, she stopped with one foot over the threshold, "your head," her hand found the doorframe and tightened on it, "how is it?"

Lan allowed himself a crooked grin, "didn't think you noticed."

"I took that a little far," Raven admitted grudgingly.

"That the closet thing to an apology I'm getting?" Lan's grin widened.

"Yes," she answered curtly before slipping into the dark that pervaded her quarters, "we're going to be doing something different tonight," Raven sent the curtains together with a vague gesture, dropping the room into near-total darkness.

"Yeah?" Lan asked as his eyes roamed over the bookshelves with mild interest. Raven found herself observing him, a frown unconsciously working its way past her impassive mask, he felt troubled.

"Your powers aren't fully realized ," Raven explained, "there's more somewhere in there, we'll be trying to pull it to the surface."

"I wouldn't do that."

Raven stiffened at the cold metal suddenly against her throat. Her eyes flickered to Lan, whose gaze seemed frozen just past her shoulder.

"Some things are best left buried."

* * *

"Okay, lets try this again," Setting aside his fifth beer, Jason stepped back to observe his work. Somewhere buried underneath the cosmetics and makeup was Jinx, any aspect of her true self hidden behind an elaborate, painstakingly detailed guise. "Who are you?" He inquired irately as he rubbed at his temples."Sara Hopny," Jinx replied to the tan, blue-eyed girl in the mirror, equally aggravated. 

"And where are you from, Sarah?"

"Queens, New York," Jinx sneered at the curtain of blond hair, missing her usual mane of pink all the more.

"New York?" Jason feigned half-hearted surprise. "Well, that's certainly a long way from Jump City, what brings you here?"

"Several months ago I – " Jinx's voice caught as a familiar tingling burned at the back of her eyes, "I lost a – " she let her head drop and dug her teeth into her lip, "_fuck_."

"'Fuck', is right!" A mixture of aggravation and alcohol fueled Jason's sudden outburst, "why the hell can't you get past this line!? We've been at this for like an hour!"

"I told you, I don't like lying," Jinx replied through gritted teeth.

"You're a criminal! You're supposed to be dishonest! It's what you _do_!" Jason snarled, slightly off-kilter.

"Fine, I don't like lying about _this_," another hateful glare into the mirror.

"Why?"

"I...I just don't."

"Don't give me that shit," Jason retorted, "you're not over them."

"Yes, I am," Jinx shot back.

"No, you're _not_, unless you're choking up about something other than those petty thugs."

"Don't do that," Jinx said as she shot Jason a warning glare, "don't talk about them like that."

"Why not!?" Jason replied sharply. "Christ, Jinx, they were villains! And not even _good _villains. Just a buncha suped up thugs."

"Shut up," her eyes took a dangerous pink hue as she turned on Jason, "one more word and I'll – "

"What!?" He stepped closer. "You'll do what!?"

Jinx brought her knee into Jason's crotch and watched him double over in agony. Grabbing his head, she slammed him viciously into the mirror, the sound of breaking glass following her down the hall as she headed for the door.

"_That_."

* * *

Raven struggled to keep the swarm of thoughts buzzing through her skull in check as her eyes moved along the blade pressed against her jugular, an all too sharp edge outlined in the faint traces of light.

"Finally I get to meet the famous Raven," the icy breath that flitted gently against her neck sent shivers along her spine, "I'm Marionette, and it's a pleasure."

"Charmed" Raven forced confident defiance into her voice as she reached out to the malevolent force pulsing against her.

The razor thin steel dug deeper against the empath's pale skin, eliciting a hastily stifled gasp. "Subtle, but I'd advise against it, witch. I know all your tricks."

"Lan," Raven managed to tear her teammate's gaze away from Marionette, he seemed anxious, almost frightened, "get help."

"I wouldn't do that, Caihe," the blade pressed harder and forced a strained gurgle past Raven's lips, "not unless you want fresh blood on your hands."

Violet eyes snapped onto Lan, "how – "

"Now, now, no questions," Marionette replied with an eerie softness, "he's listening."

"He?"

"It's why I'm here, witch" her voice dropped to a barely audible whisper, "you're being watched by an...unwelcome guest."

Raven could feel a hand work its way through her violet tresses, "and I'm supposed to believe you're honestly helping me?"

"I'm helping myself, witch. Our interests have taken a parallel course, for now," her hair ensnared by a vice-like grip, Raven's head whipped back with a violent pull "your success is my success," she felt the tension in her neck suddenly release as warmth spilled fluidly down her front, the floor rising to meet her as her legs buckled.

"Your failure is my failure."

A/N: Remember the 'new style to experiment with' I mentioned up there on page 1? Yeah, I kinda lied, it's pretty much a complete, permanent overhaul of my entire way of writing. Which, looking back on old chapters might not be a bad thing. So you know I like it, but do you? Leave me an opinion in a review.


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